CFP: Technology Entrepreneurship (SEJ)

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

Special Issue on Technology Entrepreneurship
CALL FOR PAPERS
DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 15, 2010
Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal
Editors: Kathleen Eisenhardt, Suresh Kotha, Alan Meyer and Nandini Rajagopalan

Background and Purpose

This special issue will explore research questions at the nexus of entrepreneurship and technology. Technology entrepreneurship draws from two well-established, but related fieldsentrepreneurship and technical innovation. The challenge for technical entrepreneurs is not only to create a new business, but also to invent new technologies and shape nascent markets. The challenge for policy makers and other institutional actors is to frame the context in which such entrepreneurs will emerge and prosper.  The intent of this special issue is to provide a forum to advance our understanding of the research issues that fall at this nexus. 

We invite scholars from entrepreneurship, strategy, innovation, economics, history, sociology, organizational behavior, and technology studies to contribute papers to this special issue. We welcome studies that: (1) employ a variety of methodologies, from statistical, simulation, and mathematical modeling to case-studies; (2) examine multiple levels of analysis including the entrepreneurial team, technology, firm, industry and country; (3) employ traditional or emerging theoretical approaches such as bricolage, effectuation, and improvisation; (4) examine the creation or transformation of technology-based industries; and (5) study venture formation in novel industry and institutional settings. 

Research Questions

We seek papers that provide new theoretical perspectives and/or empirical insights for technology entrepreneurship in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. Topics of interest include, but are not limited, to the following. 
· Although many studies of entrepreneurship focus on individual entrepreneurs, teams of co-founders typically join together in launching technology-based businesses.  How do these teams effectively work together? Do the characteristics of the co-founders influence the recognition of technological opportunities and their subsequent development? How do co-founders share ownership?
· Context is likely to play a key role in the formation and evolution of technology-based businesses. How do regulatory and tax policies affect such ventures? Is technology entrepreneurship driven by discoveries in basic science, M&A and IPO activity, number of technically-trained professionals, national culture, or other factors? What is the interplay between technology-based ventures and established firms? How do the dynamics of technical ecosystems, rivalry, and platform-based industries influence the strategies of technical entrepreneurs?  
· Much research on technology entrepreneurship uses the biotechnology and semiconductor industries as its setting. As a result, we know less about entrepreneurial activity in novel areas such as ventures that rely on user-driven technical innovations, pursue technical innovations for education, and target technologies for developing economies. Is technology entrepreneurship different in these settings? 
· Since universities are often sources of the new technologies that create entrepreneurial opportunities, studies are needed to explicate the roles of these actors. What are the strategies that universities employ to aid in the emergence and growth of technology-based firms?  How does technical knowledge diffuse from university research to potential entrepreneurs? What role do academic scientists play in the venture creation process? 
· Intellectual property is central to technology entrepreneurship. What are the various approaches to both formal and informal IP protection undertaken by technology entrepreneurs? What are the implications of these approaches for venture performance and industry evolution? How do these approaches influence the returns to technical innovation?
· A significant number of technology-based ventures are funded by venture capital, corporate venture capital, and angel investors. But, these investors often go beyond providing financial resources. How do these investors nurture venture success? Do these investors differentially influence firm outcomes such as innovation and growth? How is corporate governance affected by the presence of diverse investors?
· Recognizing the challenges of degraded natural environments and expensive energy, entrepreneurs are launching ventures that promote sustainable business practices and commercialize clean and/or energy efficient technologies. What unique managerial practices and business models are employed in these firms? Which policy interventions encourage their formation and growth?  
· Technology entrepreneurs who seek to advance social ends rather than just commercial ones are becoming increasingly prominent. How do these entrepreneurs create value? Who captures the value that is created? How can these entrepreneurs benefit from customer creation of content, client empowerment, and open source business models? Does the emergence of technology ventures addressing social concerns influence other institutional actors such as NGOs and national governments? 

Deadline, Submission and Review Process: The deadline for submission is November 15, 2010.   Please indicate that you would like your manuscript to be considered for the special issue. To learn more about the SEJ and this special Issue, including Submission Guidelines and the online submission process, please visit http://sej.strategicmanagement.net.  Papers will be reviewed using the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal's normal double-blind process.

Special Issue Conference: After the first round of reviews, authors of manuscripts that receive an invitation to revise and resubmit will be invited to attend a conference associated with the Special Issue. The conference will be held during September 2011 in conjunction with the 9th West Coast Research Symposium on Technology Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington in Seattle.

More Information: For additional information and queries regarding the Special Issue, please contact the special issue guest editors:
· Kathleen Eisenhardt, Stanford University (kme at stanford.edu)
· Suresh Kotha, University of Washington (skotha at uw.edu)
· Alan Meyer, University of Oregon (ameyer at uoregon.edu)
· Nandini Rajagopalan, USC (nrajagop at marshall.usc.edu )
· Or SEJ's Managing Editor, Lois Gast, (lgast at wiley.com)