Call for Papers

JOURNAL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EMERGING ECONOMIES

Topic:

Female entrepreneurship and the informal economy in emerging economies: Future research paradigms for creating innovative business activity

Editor

Jun Li, University of Essex, United Kingdom

Special Issue Guest Editors

Vanessa Ratten, La Trobe University, Australia

Joao Ferreira, University of Beira, Portugal

Robert D. Hisrich, Kent State University, United States

Veland Ramadani, South-East European University, Macedonia

This special issue aims at considering female entrepreneurship and the informal economy from the perspective of emerging economies, and more precisely, through innovation. Most of the existing emerging economies entrepreneurship literature focuses on formal enterprise but more recently more attention has been placed on informal entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship usually implies law abiding activity but informal entrepreneurship can involve unauthorized or illegal entrepreneurial activity that can include tax evasion and self employment (Rezaei, Gail and Dana, 2013). The informal economy provides individuals with business opportunities regardless of immigration status or educational qualifications and this is especially important to female entrepreneurs (Ramadani, Hisrich and Gerguri-Rashiti, 2015). The informal or underground economy has increased in interest among entrepreneurship researchers as the role and attention given to women in society has increased in the mainstream media (Buttner and Moore, 1997). Rezaei et al (2013:65) states that the underground economy is "a sociological phenomenon which is contextual, situational, gradual and conditional". The contextual refers to the country and type of businesses that are popular in informal economies. The situational means that some female entrepreneurs will be driven to the informal economy because of economic necessity. The gradual means that because of changing laws and regulations some entrepreneurs are more orientated to illegal businesses. The conditional means that some informal enterprises will transition over time to formally recognized ones.

The aim of this special issue is to focus on how informal entrepreneurship from a gender perspective has been linked to the desirability of individuals to have an alternative lifestyle that provides flexibility but financial gain (Orhan and Scott, 2001). Most definitions of business refer to the independent continuous activity that is carried out for profit (Rezaei et al, 2013). The formal economy is characterised by economic rationality and is impersonal by nature whereas the informal economy is flexible and subject to personal behavior (Ratten, 2014). The informal sector is prevalent in both developed and developing countries but particularly in economies that have imperfect markets and have a large number of female entrepreneurs.

The advantage of informal businesses for female entrepreneurs in emerging economies is that prices are negotiable and can be dictated by the type of transaction. Most transactions conducted by female entrepreneurs in the informal economy are small sized with profit margins dictated by prices and economic activity in the region. Female entrepreneurs are attracted to the informal sector due to the various types of businesses that can be conducted and the lack of formality. Often marketing is not necessary in informal businesses as there is reduced competition. Instead some businesses may focus on corporate entrepreneurship for their business opportunities (Ferreira, 2001) and this contrasts to informal business entrepreneurs who often use networks to source opportunities. Many informal business entrepreneurs have personal relationships that help increase the flow of transactions. Informal entrepreneurship for females can have a positive impact on society but is impacted by political conditions, managerial skills and financing problems (Dana, 1999). In addition, female entrepreneurs in the informal sector often rely on cash-based transactions that are not taxed or subject to government regulation that take place in emerging economies.

Given the importance of informal entrepreneurship in society, it is important to understand the motivations for female entrepreneurs starting these business ventures. An understanding of how and why these business ventures are started by entrepreneurs and the role of gender in the start-up phase is helpful in supporting more individuals to be entrepreneurs in emerging economies. An entrepreneurial motivator for both genders is the lack of corporate opportunities but this may be more prevalent in female. Given the lack of work opportunities for females, this special journal issue stresses that the entrepreneurial motivation to start informal businesses will be more important to females than males in emerging economies. Due to the increased attention placed on female entrepreneurship and informal entrepreneurship, this special journal issue focuses on the following research question: What are the factors influencing females to start an informal business in the emerging economy context and how does this link to the creation of innovative business activity?

Therefore, this call welcomes all the papers that aim at either testing the relevancy of the concept of female entrepreneurship and informal economy innovation or at improving the concept of innovation and the informal economy through the study of female entrepreneurship. Therefore, this call welcomes all the papers aimed at testing the relevancy of female entrepreneurship in emerging economies through the study of informal business practices and innovative business activity.

More specifically, the call for papers will focus on research dealing with the following issues:

·         Female entrepreneurship and informal business activity in emerging economies

·         Innovation, creativity and female entrepreneurship from an informal business practice in emerging economies

·         Evolution of female entrepreneurship and informal business in emerging economies

·         Emerging economies and gender in fostering innovation

·         Informal business practices in the emerging economy context and female entrepreneurship perspective

The editors intend to bring with this Special Issue a significant value to emerging economy entrepreneurship re-searchers, policy-makers and entrepreneurs. Full papers should be submitted by Email Word attachment to Vanessa Ratten (v.ratten@latrobe.edu.au) and one of the other Guest Editors of the special issue (see contacts below). The first page must contain the title, author(s) and contact information of the corresponding author.

For additional guidelines, please see 'Instructions for Authors' from a recent issue of Journal of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Economies or visit: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal/jeee.

Papers suitable for publication in the Special Issue will be double-blind reviewed, following the JEEE's review process guidelines.

Timetable

The Special Issue is scheduled to be published in 2017. The following timetable/deadline dates are given for your information:

1. Submission of full papers: December 15, 2015

2. First feedback from reviewers: April 1, 2016

3. Submission of the revised papers: November 1, 2016

4. Expected delivery date to JEEE: March, 2017

Contact information

Please feel free to contact one of the Guest Editors if you have any queries about the Special Issue.

Vanessa Ratten, La Trobe University, v.ratten@latrobe.edu.au

Joao Ferreira, University of Beira Interior. jjmf@ubi.pt

Robert Hisrich, Kent State University, rhisric1@kent.edu

Veland Ramadani, South-East European University, v.ramadani@seeu.edu.mk

Bibliography

Buttner, H. and Moore, D.P. (1997) 'Womens organizational exodus to entrepreneurship: Self reported motivations and correlates with success', Journal of Small Business Management, 35(1): 34-46.

Dana, L. (1999) 'Bulgaria at the crossroads of entrepreneurship', Journal of Euromarketing, 8(4): 27-50.

Ferreira, J.J. (2001) 'Corporate entrepreneurship: A strategic and structural perspective', New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 4(2): 59-71.

Orhan, M. and Scott, D. (2001) 'Why women enter into entrepreneurship: An explanatory model', Women in Management Review, 16(5/6): 232-243.

Ramadani, V., Hisrich, R.D. and Gerguri-Rashiti, S. (2015) 'Female entrepreneurs in transition economies: Insights from Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo', World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 111(4): 391-413.

Ratten, V. (2014) "Encouraging collaborative entrepreneurship in developing countries: the current challenges and a research agenda." Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies 6.3 (2014): 298-308.

Rezaei, S., Gail, M. and Dana, L. (2013) 'Informal opportunity among SMEs: An empirical study of Denmark's underground economy', International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 19(1): 64-76.