Emerald-ISBE Book Series Call for Chapter Contributions Volume Title: Creating Entrepreneurial Space: Talking through Multi voices, reflections on emerging debates Editors Dr. David Higgins University of Liverpool Prof. Paul Jones University of Coventry Prof. Pauric McGrown University of Ulster Background Interest in the field of entrepreneurship/small firm has developed exponentially in recent decades. Scholars and researchers have sought to explore the subject area across a range of multi-disciplinary fields of study all of which have sought to generate new research approaches and concepts, uncovering a wealth of new findings about how we can view entrepreneurship and the small firm. The study of entrepreneurship/small firm involves the process of understanding and seeking meaning in behavior and practice. However, concerns have been expressed about the need to engage more critically with the lived experiences of practicing entrepreneurs through alternative approaches and methods, seeking to account for and highlighting the social, political and moral aspect of entrepreneurial practice. The growing need to consider alternative perspectives in terms of how we engage with and study entrepreneurship from diverse perspectives is essential if the field is to develop, by challenging the boundaries established through the adoption of dominant functionalist paradigms (Tedmanson et al., 2012). The study of entrepreneurship/small firm is demanding, complex and dynamic, shaped and influenced through human behavior rendering prediction or certainty in findings difficult and challenging. This is not a conventional academic subject discipline, rather a multi-disciplinary subject area requiring researchers to tackle areas of investigation by drawing upon different disciplines and approaches. By drawing recognition to the lived practice of the entrepreneur/owner manager, one can begin to position the notion of action as a process of socially constructed emergent practice, such a change in perspective requires a conceptualization of what we understand entrepreneurship to be, how we theorize, research, and develop new dialogue. Such discussion, would seek to provide the community, to give to an alternative perspective as a method of re-shaping and understanding what it means to practice as an entrepreneur (Weiskopf & Steyaert, 2009). For this publication we invite contributions which seek to critical explore alternative dimensions to entrepreneurial/small firm research and practice. We equally seek to promote ideas from other research traditions and perspectives which are culturally enriched and challenge what we term entrepreneurial/small firm practice. Guidance for authors The publication seeks to draw upon new theoretical perspectives and approaches as a means of illustrating the inherently social embedded and contextualized nature of entrepreneurial practice. In this context, the central objective of this publication is to develop a critical and constructive position towards current theories, methods, assumptions and beliefs which seek to question the prevailing assumptions currently dominating entrepreneurial researching and practice. The book aims to provide a thoughtful and contemporary sets of discussion as a means of advancing the manner in which we think about and engage with various aspects of entrepreneurial practice and development. Entrepreneurship is still regarded by many as in the theory building stage, which has lead some commentaries to suggest that the field is still highly fragmented and in various stages of development. In such a case it would be impossible to present a complete and detailed account of a field 1
which has so many developing points of focus. The book seeks to bringing together leading thinkers, practitioners and researchers in the field in order to explore questions surrounding the social embedded and contextualized nature of entrepreneur/small firm owner/mangers. The book will provide an opportunity for contributes to consider the main issues affecting entrepreneurial practice and develop insights about how we might understand these issues more effectively from a critical positon. The publication seeks to inspire contributors and readers alike to think critically and reflexively about our own practice as a means of aiding and developing collective awareness of what are informative approaches to entrepreneurial practice and growth. Given the breath of the fields covered by entrepreneurship and small firm research, we seek to develop a publication which embraces and demonstrate the expanse of this literature, as such this publication seeks to cover a broad spectrum, in terms of topics and approaches, on diversity and critique in their perspectives towards entrepreneurial practice and scholarship. The publication seeks to invite contributions (scholarly and practitioner oriented – working, conceptual, empirical and methodological) which discuss topics relating to all aspects of entrepreneurial/SME development. Entrepreneurial/SME as a subject area concerns both the manner in which entrepreneurs and owner/managers develop and grow, and the methods used to educate and develop their knowledge and experience, areas of interest may include – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Role of universities and other agencies in supporting training, education and growth. The added value of business support: how does it make a difference? Effective business support in a recessionary environment. Creative entrepreneurs: characteristics, challenges and opportunities. The role of educators and trainers in developing enterprising and pedagogical approaches. Enterprise education and training policy. Entrepreneurial Learning, practice and modalities of research methods. Ethnic entrepreneurship, spatial and temporal dimensions of ethnic minority businesses. Gender in the entrepreneurial firm, constructing and reconstructing gender in the context of entrepreneurship. 10. Social and community enterprise/innovation and entrepreneurship. 11. Factors influencing Technology Entrepreneurship Development. 12. Social, Sustainability and the entrepreneurial eco-environment. Target Market - The book is primarily aimed at academics in entrepreneurship and small business management programmes at undergraduate and masters levels. It will also provide an effective introduction for Doctoral students and academics looking to engage with the discipline. Publication Timelines December 20, 2016: Expressions of Interest April 30, 2017: Full Chapter Submission June 30, 2017: Review of submitted chapters returned to Authors August 30, 2017: Revised Completed Chapter Submissions October 15, 2017: Final Acceptance Notification Submitting Author Requirements Prospective authors can send an expression of interest to Dr David Higgins – University of Liverpool Email:
[email protected] . Submissions should be no more than 8,000 words including tables and references and should provide an introduction, key literature, description of the case study and conclusions. All submissions will be blind peer reviewed.
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