In 1980 the Gulbenkian Foundation invited Baroness Seear to chair a small working party to take a long and broad view of what steps might be taken to promote entrepreneurial activities by community self-help groups in developing local productive activity. This report contains the conclusions and recommendations of the working party. It is a strategic and far-sighted report with proposals for action which require the attention of representatives of both central and local government, voluntary groups, business, educational and professional institutions and community groups themselves.

Beatrice Nancy Seear was Reader in Personnel Management at the London School of Economics from 1946–78 and created a Liberal Peer in 1971. She was Liberal Leader of the House of Lords from 1984–88 and Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader from 1988–97. She died in 1997.