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CALL FOR PAPERS

Special Issue of Small Business Economics

"Women Entrepreneurs in Ecosystems"

Special Issue Editors:

Linda Edelman- Bentley University

Tatiana Manolova- Bentley University

Candida Brush-Babson College

Friederike Welter- IfM Bonn and University of Siegen

Entrepreneurship ecosystems involve a number of interconnected elements that interact and are mutually reinforcing, facilitating innovation and the growth of new ventures (Aulet, 2008, Fetters, Greene, Rice & Butler, 2010; Isenberg, 2011; Kantis & Federico, 2012; Brush, 2014). It is argued that entrepreneurship ecosystems include a conducive culture, which enables policies and leadership, the availability of financing, the acquisition and development of human capital, new markets for products and services, and a range of institutional and infrastructural supports (Isenberg, 2011, WEF, 2013;).  All of the actors in entrepreneurship ecosystems are influenced by and in turn influence their particular entrepreneurship ecosystem.

This special issue of Small Business Economics seeks papers at broadly fit with the overarching theme of women entrepreneurs in ecosystems; specifically, papers that explore the impact of women's entrepreneurship in ecosystems, as well as the influences of ecosystem factors on women entrepreneurs. 

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

·        The macro elements and infrastructure ecosystem influences on women entrepreneurs

·        The influence of ecosystem institutions, culture and policies on women's entrepreneurship

·        Ways in which women entrepreneurs influence local ecosystems

·        The influence of network ties, interactions, and positioning on women entrepreneurs in local ecosystems

·        Spill-over effects of ecosystem innovation and women's entrepreneurship

·        Public policy and cross national comparisons of ecosystems and their influence on women's entrepreneurship

·        The influence of meso-environment factors, such as incubators and accelerators, on women's entrepreneurship

·        Comparisons of high and low entrepreneurial ecosystem influences on women's entrepreneurship

·        Ways in which entrepreneurial ecosystems support start-up, growth, and sustainability of women's entrepreneurship

·        The influences of market cooperation and competition on growth of women owned ventures in ecosystems

Scholars are encouraged to connect empirical phenomena to theory and to employ rigorous and replicable data and methods to test their ideas. Qualitative and quantitative papers as well as new theoretical contributions are welcome.  In doing so, researchers can build a body of high quality, cumulative research that extends our current knowledge. 

Responding to the call for increased impact, this special issue seeks innovative research that generates new, or builds on existing, key debates and questions in order to generate a richer, more robust, understanding of the domain of women's entrepreneurship research. Researchers interested in publishing in the Special Issue should submit their paper to Linda Edelman at WomenEntrepreneurs@bentley.edu

All submissions are due no later than December 1, 2015.

Papers should be 5000 – 7000 words in length; they should not currently be in print or submitted for consideration to another journal. All papers should be fully referenced using the Harvard referencing style with appropriate permissions obtained, where relevant. Shorter practitioner perspectives or research notes are also welcomed. Initially all papers will be reviewed by the editors. Papers selected for potential inclusion in the edition will be subject to double blind peer review.

Intentions are to publish the Special Issue during 2017.   Small Business Economics has an impact factor of 1.641 and is published by Springer Publishing. Editors in Chief are David Audretsch and Zoltan Acs.

Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal publishes rigorous research on entrepreneurship, self-employment, family firms, small and medium-sized firms, and new venture creation. The journal has a broad scope, including entrepreneurs' characteristics, occupational choice, new ventures and innovation, firms life courses and performance; as well as the role played by institutions and public policies within local, regional, national and international contexts.  Articles published in Small Business Economics typically emphasize the economic and societal relevance of research findings.  As a leading entrepreneurship journal, Small Business Economics publishes both theoretical and empirical papers, while encouraging interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research from a broad spectrum of disciplines and related fields.

Linda F. Edelman

Professor I Strategic Management

BENTLEY UNIVERSITY

319 Adamian Academic Center I 175 Forest Street I Waltham MA 02452 - 4705

ledelman@bentley.edu

T: 781.891.2530 I F: 781.891.2896