Entrepreneurship in conflict zones: mapping the effects on peace and stability

Jay Joseph and Harry J. Van Buren

Chapter 9 in Handbook of Research on Base of the Pyramid Entrepreneurship, 2026, pp 163-176 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Entrepreneurs operating in conflict zones face acute commercial, social, and physical threats. Although entrepreneurship is widely seen as a force for good, when faced with such threats, entrepreneurs can engage in destructive activities that undermine peace and perpetuate harm. In this chapter, the unique characteristics of a conflict-affected operating environment are discussed, highlighting the role that entrepreneurship can play in combating the distinct poverty and intergroup-related challenges that characterize conflict zones. In framing entrepreneurs as actors who can either alleviate or intensify these challenges, we map the varying types of entrepreneurship in conflict, providing a context-sensitive description of both the positive and negative impacts that entrepreneurial activities can have. In providing this framing, the chapter argues against the neo-liberal assumptions that have underpinned the underwhelming business-based development programs used by multilateral actors in conflict zones, while offering scholars further insights into base-of-the-pyramid market dynamics in these unique and challenging settings.

Keywords: BoP Entrepreneurship; Business; Conflict; Poverty; Peace; Violence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781802202137
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