Call for Submissions:
The 2025 Heizer Doctoral Dissertation Award in New Enterprise Development
PURPOSE
The Heizer Doctoral Dissertation Award in New Enterprise Development recognizes and honors outstanding doctoral research in the area of new enterprise development.
FOCUS
The Award highlights research on the founding, financing, management, growth, and development of high potential new ventures, with venture capital investing, or with corporate entrepreneurship. Dissertations addressing small, high-tech ventures may also qualify.
Dissertations dealing primarily with small business, family business, minority business, or support systems (other than venture capital) are not appropriate for the Heizer Award (see the NFIB Award Call).
AWARD
The Award consists of a cash prize of $2,500 and a plaque commemorating the winner's achievement.
AWARDING CRITERIA
- Fit with the specific focus of the Heizer Award as described above.
- Overall scholarly quality.
- Relevance of the work for the practice of new enterprise development as defined above. While scholarly quality and fit are the primary criteria, winning dissertations must have well-developed implications for practitioners in the area of new enterprise development.
ELIGIBILITY
The 2025 Heizer Award is open to authors who, in the calendar year 2024, completed all requirements for their doctoral degree, as supported by documentation from the awarding institution. This includes any coursework, public defense, revisions, etc. that are required for earning the degree. (Formal ceremonies such as graduation and promotion that are customary, but not required, can take place after 2024). If some requirements have not been completed by 2024, candidates are encouraged to submit for the 2026 competition.
SUBMISSION DOCUMENTS
Submitters should provide electronic documentation of (1) Evidence of completion (see "Eligibility" above) and (2) The following two SEPARATE nomination documents:
- A cover page containing the dissertation title, the name of the dissertation author, the name of the awarding university, the names and affiliations of all dissertation committee members (including advisor), and the date when the dissertation was officially completed.
- A one-page dissertation abstract providing a synopsis of the dissertation summary, and a subsequent 15-page dissertation summary including references. The total should be 16 pages maximum. NO APPLICANT NAMES OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED. The summary should describe the issues and topics studied in the dissertation, with particular attention to the following six aspects: (1) the quality and comprehensiveness of its research questions and literature review, (2) the quality and rigor of its conceptual development, specification of underlying assumptions, derivation of hypotheses and propositions, and operationalization of variables, (3) the appropriateness and creativity of its overall research design, sample, and site selections, (4) the comprehensiveness of its data gathering methods and measurement techniques, (5) the appropriateness and effectiveness of its data analysis techniques, and (6) the impact of its findings on the area of new enterprise development, to determine its overall quality, innovativeness, effectiveness, and comprehensiveness as a research work. The summary should also address the novelty and importance of the dissertation's implications for practice.
Both documents should be typed single-spaced with double spacing between paragraphs on 8.5 by 11-inch paper in 12 point New Times Roman font with 1 inch margins all around. Failure to follow the formatting guidelines will lead to elimination of the proposal from further consideration.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DATES
Submissions should be sent electronically no later than 5:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (UTC -5 hours), January 20, 2025 to askiadopoulou@crimson.ua.edu – Please include in the Email Subject line "2025 Heizer Dissertation Award Submission Materials".
Questions are welcome. Feel free to email ENT Division Chair Elect Vishal Gupta with your questions.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Authors can submit their work for consideration for ONLY ONE of the ENT Division's dissertation awards. Thus, those who submit for the Heizer Award cannot also be eligible for the National Federation of Independent (NFIB) Doctoral Dissertation Award and vice versa. It is the submitter's responsibility to submit to the Award which best fits the nominated work.
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Vishal Gupta
Professor
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa AL
(205) 348-8427
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