Regional evolution and entrepreneurship: roles, eras and the space economy

This article provides a broad historical overview of the entrepreneurial function, its innovative roles and their emergence in major historical epochs, and the impact of these roles on the sectoral and space economies. Five major entrepreneurial roles are identified, and are related to major macroeconomic changes over four historical epochs, starting with the late 18th century and on through to the present. The relationship between entrepreneurial innovation and regional economic change is explored by linking each entrepreneurial role to the sectoral changes that transform the space economy over long periods.