REMINDER: HEIZER DOCTORAL DISSERTATION AWARD DEADLINE APPROACHING

MARCH 15, 2008

The Heizer Doctoral Dissertation Award in New Enterprise Development is the Entrepreneurship Division's first doctoral dissertation award.   The Heizer Award was established through the original sponsorship of The Heizer Corporation, and the continuing sponsorship of Mr. Edgar F. "Ned" Heizer, Jr.  Its purpose is to recognize and honor outstanding doctoral research in the area of New Enterprise Development.  The principal focus of the Heizer Award is on research that deals with the founding, financing, management, growth, and development of high potential new ventures, with venture capital investing, or with corporate entrepreneurship.  Dissertations dealing with small high-tech ventures and/or ventures of intermediate potential may also quality for the Heizer Award.  Specifically excluded from the Heizer Award are dissertations dealing primarily with small business, family business, minority business, and/or with the support systems (other than venture capital) that help facilitate the development of such businesses. All of the latter areas are the focus of the NFIB Award in Entrepreneurship/Independent Business.

Three criteria will be used to evaluate all Heizer Award Entries.  They are: (1) The Degree to which the Entry fits the specific Focus of the Heizer Award described above; (2) The Overall Quality of the Entry with respect to Its Literature Survey, Model Development, Hypothesis Generation, Research Design, Sample and Site Selection, Data Gathering Methods, Variable Definition and Measurement, Data Analysis Methods, Findings and Conclusions, Limitations, and Implications for both Theory and Research in Entrepreneurship and New Enterprise Development; and (3) The Overall Quality & Effectiveness of the Entry's Implications for the Practice of Entrepreneurship / New Enterprise Development.  

[Note: Heizer Award Winners Must Have well developed Implications for Practitioners in the area of New Enterprise Development.  Dissertations without such Implications cannot win the Heizer Award.  They may, however, be submitted to the NFIB Competition, which does NOT have Criterion # 3 as a requirement for Winning -- provided, of course, that they fit the other specifications of the NFIB Award.]

The 2008 Heizer Award is open to Dissertations completed in calendar year 2007.  An e-copy (MS-Word only) of a one- (1)- page Abstract [single spaced in 10-point font with 1 inch margins top, bottom, and sides] and a 20-page Summary [single spaced in 10-point font with 1 inch margins top, bottom, and sides] of each dissertation should be sent in MS Word, no later than 5:00p.m. US Central Daylight Time March l5, 2008 to the Chair Elect of the Entrepreneurship Division of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Academy</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Management</st1:placename></st1:place> (Ronald K. Mitchell at ronald.mitchell@ttu.edu).  Finalists for the Heizer Award will be notified by mid-April, 2008, and to remain in the competition, will be required to send a Full Electronic Copy (MS-Word only) of their completed dissertation to Prof. Mitchell no later than 5:00 p.m. US Central Daylight Time April 30, 2008.  The winner of the Heizer Award will be required to send two printed copies of their dissertation: one copy to Mr. Edgar F. Heizer, Jr., and one copy to Dr. Charles W. Hofer (MD 0404-BB-Building 04-Rm 312, Kennesaw State, University, 1000 Chastain Road, Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591), who maintains a file of all award-winning dissertations for the Entrepreneurship Division.

The Award itself will consist of a cash prize and an Award plaque commemorating the winner's outstanding research effort.

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RONALD K. MITCHELL, CPA, Ph.D.
Professor of Entrepreneurship
Jean Austin Bagley Regents Chair in Management

<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rawls</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place> of Business
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www.ronaldmitchell.org