CALL FOR PAPERS

Cultural and creative entrepreneurship (CCE) has become a topic of great interest in debates about innovation and growth in the context of the creative industries, and is an emerging area in the broader entrepreneurship agenda in academia. In part, the arts, culture, and creative sector has been particularly affected by the COVID pandemic. In another part, the creative industries in particular have contributed sustainable innovations to overcome the crisis with them innovative and creative solutions.

Addressing challenges in our dynamic economies such as the sustainability and energy transition and digital and biotech revolution, requires entrepreneurs and small firms that commercialise novel and disruptive technologies. Start-ups and small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs) are, however, often highly capital-constrained. Especially, in a war scenario and post-COVID period entrepreneurs require funding to pivot their business models and tap into new markets.

The well-being of individuals is fundamental for psychological functioning and in reverse higher well-being leads to higher productivity. In the last few years, a lively debate in research on entrepreneurship has emerged that deals with the question: how entrepreneurship affects the well-being of individuals? The current body of literature shows no consensus over whether entrepreneurship leads to higher, less or the same well-being like other occupations.

This track aims to explore the latest research, trends and practices in entrepreneurship and innovation in the wine industry, and may also cover broader wine business topics.

The wine industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by changing consumer preferences, technological advances, and evolving global markets. However, the industry has also been challenged by several pressing phenomena such as healthier lifestyles, labour shortages and rising labour costs, climate change and related natural disasters or new diseases, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a general track dedicated to exploring entrepreneurial persons, entrepreneurial teams, entrepreneurial families and family firms from a behavioral perspective. While integrating perspectives from psychology and sociology has a long history in business studies, it is still gaining momentum in the fields of entrepreneurship and family business. The endeavor to decipher entrepreneurial behavior to better understand how and why entrepreneurs decide, act and shape their firms has attracted considerable scholarly energies.

The COVID-19 epidemic and before that the financial crisis of 2008 has shown us that our economies are vulnerable to shocks. There are two ways to prepare for shocks. The most common approach is to analyse a shock that just occurred and organize to prevent such events from happening again. But that rear-view-mirror approach leads to governments, firms and people fighting the last battle and being taken by surprise when unanticipated shocks occur.

In the era of the Polycrisis, entrepreneurs face a transformative landscape where ongoing challenges like COVID-19 and climate change demand new strategies. Traditional crisis management no longer suffices as crises become recurrent and complex. Existing literature tends to focus on past crisis contexts, overlooking the permanence and complexity of current crises. This track invites papers that explore how entrepreneurship thrives in this new reality by identifying innovative models, alliances, and strategies.

In recent years, the proliferation of makerspaces and innovation labs has significantly influenced the landscape of entrepreneurship, serving as dynamic catalysts that energize and inspire individuals across diverse backgrounds to embark on a transformative journey of creativity and innovation. These specialized environments exemplify principles of experiential learning, collaborative problem-solving, and the collaborative creation of pioneering solutions – all of these are skills for Next Generation Entrepreneurs.

 Considered to be invaluable for both professional and personal development, entrepreneurial literacy and skills have gained significant traction globally as essential components for fostering economic development and innovation. Indeed, entrepreneurial education is thought to equip the future generations with the tools to tackle societal problems and address current and upcoming challenges. Given the major developments of entrepreneurship education, this track proposes to discuss current trends in entrepreneurship education as well new avenues for this flourishing stream of research.

Family businesses are characterized by their deep-rooted history, strong values, and intimate connection to the community. They represent a fundamental aspect of entrepreneurial culture, embodying the spirit of innovation, risk-taking, and perseverance that are essential to entrepreneurial success. Sustainability has emerged as a central theme, driven by growing awareness of environmental issues, social responsibility, and ethical business practices. Family businesses, with their inherent focus on long-term viability and community engagement, are uniquely positioned to champion sustainability initiatives and drive positive change. This track delves into the multifaceted dimensions where family businesses play a critical role in fostering sustainable practices and driving innovation, ensuring the continuity of their enterprises while positively impacting communities and the environment

The influence of the entrepreneurial human capital on regional development is a relevant research topic attracting considerable attention in the fields of entrepreneurship, and regional science, and policy decision making, seeking to foster sustainable regional development. However, there is still limited understanding in terms of the best practices and enablers of regional embeddedness, dynamics and change in the multidimensional context of global, national, regional, and local ecosystems, which are fuelled through the investment in entrepreneurial human capital and the effective actions coming from the so-called third mission of universities and, more generally, knowledge actors and transmitters.

The challenges experienced during COVID-19 revealed not only the weak points of the health system worldwide but also became the impetus that stimulated technological development and improvements in health management solutions throughout the supply chain, vaccination, and other areas. Integrating health tech solutions in the daily activities of the health system is critical for improving system robustness, the continuity of treatment, and addressing issues of accessibility and affordability. This track emphasizes the crucial role of start-ups and innovation within the health tech industry, aiming to meet the needs of both patients and practitioners.

With the world’s oceans, seas, and rivers covering more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, they are vital for sustainable development, enabling potential economic growth, environmental conservation, and social well-being. In response to the pressing need for a balanced approach to marine exploitation, particularly in coastal communities, the concept of the ‘blue economy’ was introduced, while also promoting sustainable growth. The term Blue Economy can be defined as “the sustainable industrialisation of the oceans to the benefit of all”. This track explores the mechanisms through which entrepreneurs can harness the potential of the Blue Economy to create resilient, scalable businesses that benefit the marine environment and society.

In the evolving landscape, the prominence of female entrepreneurship garners increasing scholarly attention. First, the Women Dimension. Women exhibit unparalleled levels of education, drive, and determination in their pursuit of entrepreneurial endeavors. Secondly, the Business Dimension. Navigating in the new normal, demands the integration of diverse approaches, innovative mindsets, and capabilities to enrich the prevailing male-dominated business landscape. Finally, the Ecosystem Dimension. There is an urgent need to cultivate more female role models who can inspire and catalyze the next generation of entrepreneurs and ecosystem stakeholders. This track seeks to elevate the discussion on female entrepreneurship, highlighting the natural strengths of female entrepreneurs and their compatibility with the changing demands of the current entrepreneurial environment.