CFP: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Growth: Gender perspectives

[entrepreneurship-phd at lists.uni-due.de]

Gender, Work and Organization
6th international interdisciplinary conference
21st - 23rd June, 2010

Call for abstracts
Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Growth: Gender perspectives 

Stream Convenors
Gry Agnete Alsos, Nordland Research Institute, Norway
Ulla Hytti, Turku School of Economics, Finland
Elisabet Ljunggren, Nordland Research Institute, Norway
Malin Tillmar, Linköping University, Sweden

Gender aspects of organization and work-life have been studied for some decades (Hanson & Pratt, 1995; Powell, 1999), and research on gender and entrepreneurship has increased the latest 15 years (Ahl, 2002). Still, gendered studies of innovation or growth of firms are hardly found. 

Both entrepreneurship and innovation are seen as tools to create economic growth and wealth. The understanding of innovation has evolved from being viewed as radical to be viewed as incremental, even though the Schumpeterian understanding; "a new product, a new service, a new production process, usage or organizational structure introduced in the market or in the production process to create additional economic value" is often employed in policies. This definition/understanding is seldom gendered, although the policies and means to promote innovation and entrepreneurship result in significant gender skewness (Pettersson, 2007). 

In most countries innovation policies have stemmed from and are linked to technology and science policies (Lindholm Dahlstrand & Stevenson, 2007), and therefore have contributed to strong technology connotations for the concepts of innovation and innovative firm or organization. Technology as a sphere is strongly gendered, for example, if measured by educational and occupational choices. The technological innovation and new innovative firms are almost exclusively dominated by male entrepreneurs and managers and most women-controlled businesses operate in retail, personal services, and personal care (Arenius & Kovalainen, 2006), which are not considered to represent a great potential for innovation or for growth. Still, the role of gender and gendered practices within the context of innovation and innovative firms has received only limited attention (e.g. Eriksson et al, 2008). 

Recently, there has been an explicit aim to broaden the concept of innovation to cover also organisational, design and other non-technical innovations. In this vein, innovation is not understood through an end-product. Instead, innovation is something that happens in organizations, at work-places. So far, much of the research has been focused on antecedents and prerequisites to innovation, and the role of middle managers in creating an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship (Hornsby et al. 2002; Kuratko et al. 2005). Based on recent literature the connection between management structures and individuals is more of a two-way street. Innovation emerges as top down and bottom up forces confront and negotiate and the negotiation takes place in the 'conversational space' (Heinonen & Toivonen 2007; 2008). In spite of the importance both economically, gender equality and otherwise, the issue of gender and gendering of these issues are not often addressed. 

A particular area of interest with limited focus will be the innovation, i.e. renewal of the public sector which in the Nordic countries is dominated by women employees, especially in the health care and social services. Previous studies from the public sector suggest that not all concepts originated from the private sector are easily transferable to the public sectors. For example, corporate entrepreneurship which is suggested to mean 'the process whereby an individual or a group of individuals, in association with an existing organization, create a new organization or instigate renewal or innovation within that organization" (Sharma - Chrisma 1999, p. 18) can gain meanings of cost-cutting and increased burden on employees when interpreted by the employees at the workplace (Heinonen, 1999). Investigations exploring what are legitimate innovations and innovative behaviors within public sector organizations; if and how they are linked to well-being and quality of working life, and how these processes are gendered, will be of great interest. 

The stream on "Gender perspectives on entrepreneurship and innovation" invites both conceptual and empirical papers from different perspectives which address these issues. 

The following list is an indicative but not exhaustive list of potential topics: 
. innovation processes and practices and the role of gender and gender equality 
. studies of business development and growth support (e.g. consulting) from a gendered perspective 
. access to resources needed for innovation and growth from a gendered perspective (access to finance, skilled workforce, partners)
. participation in innovation processes within and between firms from a gendered perspective 
. gendered understandings of knowledge and how knowledge is used in innovation processes
. innovations and innovative behaviors in e.g. personal services and public sector organizations and the role of gender 
. the relation between the lack of women in top management positions, innovation, growth and the gender segregated labor market
. gendered aspects of public policies and support schemes directed towards innovation and growth

Abstracts of approximately 500 words (ONE page, Word document, single spaced, excluding references) are invited by 1st November 2009 with decisions on acceptance to be made by stream leaders within one month. All abstracts will be peer reviewed. New and young scholars with 'work in progress' papers are welcomed. In the case of co-authored papers, ONE person should be identified as the corresponding author. Note that due to restrictions of space, multiple submissions by the same author will not be timetabled. Abstracts should be emailed to  Elisabet.ljunggren at nforsk.no
Abstracts should include FULL contact details, including your name, institutional affiliation, mailing address, and e-mail address. State the title of the stream to which you are submitting your abstract.

More info at http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0968-6673