SPECIAL ISSUE: Digital Entrepreneurship: Taking stock and moving forward.
Guest editors:
Maura McAdam: Dublin City University Business School (maura.mcadam@dcu.ie)
Kathleen Randerson: Audencia Business School (kathleenranderson@yahoo.fr)
Cyrine Ben Hafaïedh: IESEG School of Management (c.benhafaiedh@ieseg.fr)
Introduction Background and Focus of the Special Issue:
In the last decade, research on the use of digital technology to promote entrepreneurial opportunities has grown exponentially, providing a strong platform for digitally enabled entrepreneurship (Cutolo & Kenney, 2021). The ubiquity of digital technologies in entrepreneurship has motivated researchers to understand the concept of digital entrepreneurship (Nambisan, 2017). This has resulted in researchers analysing the affordances of digital technologies such as the reduction in the time and effort to generate and evaluate entrepreneurial ideas (Elia et al., 2020; Lehmann et al., 2022), or the potential for the development of an entrepreneurial venture as a result of dispersed agency and blurred boundaries (Autio et al., 2018; Greene & Rosileeo, 2020). Furthermore, literature reviews have been dedicated to digital entrepreneurship (Kraus et al., 2019; Zaheer et al., 2019; Paul et al., 2023) in attempts to organise emerging research themes, theories, and perspectives into a coherent and cohesive narrative.
Despite recent studies examining digital entrepreneurship having noted that it is characterised by less bounded and more networked processes, agency and outcomes, which span across space and time (Kelly & McAdam, 2022; 2023), there has been increasing concerns with what Nambisan (2017, p. 1032) refers to as the question of the ‘democratisation’ of digital entrepreneurship. While providing insightful contributions, critical approaches to digital entrepreneurship (Martinez Dy & Jayawarna, 2020; Heizmann & Liu, 2020) have left some questions unanswered, especially those in relation to the dark side, paradoxes and unintended consequences of digital entrepreneurship. It is these unanswered questions that this Special Issue seeks to address by offering the opportunity to stimulate scholarly conversations around the multifaceted challenges that may arise in the digital entrepreneurship realm.
Themes to be Addressed:
Recent literature has underscored the profound impact that the digital revolution has had on the
entrepreneurship phenomenon (Corvello et al., 2022; Troise et al., 2022). For example, some scholars point to the provision of a technological infrastructure and digital tools that has accelerated the creation of new types of entrepreneurial ventures (Autio et al., 2018; Elia et al., 2020; Nambisan et al., 2019) as well as new types of entrepreneurs such as platform-dependent entrepreneurs (Cutolo & Kenney, 2021) - “users-as-entrepreneurs using social media platforms to pursue their own opportunities” (Reuber & Fischer, 2022, p. 17). Now is the opportune moment to take stock and unveil the darker aspects and unintended consequences of digital entrepreneurship. Likewise, looking forward is of utmost importance. In the face of increasingly diverse and disruptive digital technologies, we must think forward as to how these technologies, applied to entrepreneurial endeavours, will impact individuals, economies, and societies (Randerson & Estrada Robles, 2023).
The aim of this Special Issue therefore is to address the pressing research challenges brought about by rapid technological advancements and so provide a platform for theoretical discussions in an ever-changing digital landscape. In particular, it will delve into the less explored, sometimes overlooked, and even troubling aspects of entrepreneurial activities in the digital age, and its potential futures. We envisage that this Special Issue will attract contributions from scholars across disciplines to provide a platform for advancing knowledge, stimulating debate, and informing policy and practice in the rapidly evolving field of digital entrepreneurship.
Research Questions:
We welcome theoretical, empirical and methodological contributions. Specific themes and questions worthy of attention include, but are not limited to:
1. Paradoxes of Digital Entrepreneurship: An exploration of the inherent contradictions, tensions, or challenges faced by entrepreneurs operating in the digital realm.
2. The Darkside of Digital Entrepreneurship: An investigation of the less illuminated facets of entrepreneurial ventures in the digital realm.
3. Unintended Consequences of Digital Entrepreneurship: The unforeseen outcomes that can arise from the rapid adoption and evolution of digital technologies in entrepreneurial endeavours (e.g. job displacement, economic inequality, online harassment).
4. Ethical Dilemmas in Digital Entrepreneurship: The ethical challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the digital space, such as data privacy, manipulation of user behaviour, and algorithmic biases.
5. Impact of Digital Entrepreneurship on Work-Life Balance: The impact of digital technologies on work-life balance, including the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life, and potential implications for employee well-being.
6. Digital Divide and Social Inequality: An exploration of the relationship between unequal access to digital technologies and broader social inequalities, particularly in terms of access to technology, digital skills, and opportunities.
7. Social Media Entrepreneurs, Influencers and Content Creators: The inherent contradictions, tensions, or challenges faced by individuals operating in this space, despite the opportunities it presents.
Key dates:
The deadline for submission of papers is February 9, 2025. The Special Issue is scheduled to be published in September 2026. Papers must be original and comply with ISBJ submission guidelines. Please refer http://isb.sagepub.com/ for submission guidelines and a link to the on-line submission system. In the online system please ensure you submit your paper within Manuscript Type: ‘Special Issue: Digital Entrepreneurship: Taking stock and moving forward”.
Questions and informal enquiries should be directed to: Maura McAdam maura.mcadam@dcu.ie