The cultural production of enterprise: understanding selectivity as cultural policy

Abstract

Within the context of a conceptualisation of the phenomenon of enterprise culture which focuses on the link between culture and government, this paper represents an attempt to make visible the cultural dimension of government policies such as selectivity. The paper sets out to explore firstly an understanding of enterprise culture which focuses on the link between the practices of government and the practices of individuals. Secondly as a corollary of this, it explores the notion that policies as instruments of government, have a cultural dimension in the sense of influencing how the phenomenon of enterprise culture is actually produced. It will be argued that the policy of selectivity aims to do more than identify fast-growth firms or get value for state resources, it also attempts through its "advisory" function to shape and regulate the conduct of entrepreneurs with the aim of ensuring the optimal performance of the market order. Empirical data drawn from interviews with personnel from an Irish state development agency, which centre on the operationalisation of the policy of selectivity, will be presented. This data is introduced as part of the exploration of the cultural production of enterprise and the role policies such as selectivity play in this.