Local control of regional enterprise development initiatives: the issue of sponsors, agents and participants

Enterprise development programmes in Australia have traditionally been controlled by the central government. This article describes how a new enterprise development initiative in Australia is moving away from such centralised government control. The initiative is examined in the light of two models: one, the classic approach used by the International Labour Office (ILO) and two, the stake-holder control model. The latter concerns relative control exercised by the three main stake-holders, viz., sponsors, agents and participants in the design and implementation of small enterprise development programmes. The authors argue that the conven tional models of the ILO type presuppose external control by sponsors and agents. The Australian initiative, on the other hand, demonstrates the benefits of mutual control, wherein participants are involved in decision- making about the programme.