The 10th California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (CEEC)

April 17-20, San Diego

https://lavincenter.sdsu.edu/programs/entrepreneurship-conference/2024_ceec/2024-ceec-conference

 

Call for Papers for International Entrepreneurship (IE) Track: International
Entrepreneurship in the Face of Rising Challenges and Digitalization

International Entrepreneurship (IE) is facing new challenges in today’s dynamic and uncertain global landscape. As socio-economic disparities widen, barriers to internationalization mount, and the digitalization of economic activities gains momentum, it is crucial to explore how IE can make a meaningful impact in these changing circumstances. This call for papers invites researchers to delve into various aspects of IE and its role in addressing the emerging challenges of our time.

Intersection of International Entrepreneurship and Empowerment:

In alignment with the theme of CEEC 2024, we enthusiastically welcome research that investigates the intersection of international entrepreneurship and empowerment, emphasizing inclusion, equitable access, and generation of positive socio-economic transformations in a global context:

• What role can IE play in promoting social and economic empowerment, particularly in regions with limited access to resources and opportunities?
• What are the barriers and challenges faced by underrepresented entrepreneurs in accessing international markets, and how can IE initiatives help overcome these barriers?
• How can digital technologies and the digitalization of economic activities be leveraged to empower entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups in accessing global markets?
• What are the key competencies, skills, and resources that individuals and communities need to develop for empowerment through IE?
• How does entrepreneurship education and training contribute to the empowerment of individuals and communities, particularly in the context IE?
• What strategies can international entrepreneurs adopt to navigate the increasing barriers to internationalization and foster empowerment in the face of uncertainty and rapid change?
• What are the best practices and policy interventions that can promote inclusive IE and empower entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds?

International Entrepreneurship in the Post-Covid Era:

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about profound and lasting changes in the global business environment. These changes present a plethora of challenges and opportunities for international entrepreneurs and their ventures. Renowned for their resourcefulness and adaptability, these entrepreneurs are likely to develop innovative ways of reframing these issues, charting new strategic directions, and navigating new global competitive landscapes. Therefore, the post-Covid environment offers a unique opportunity for scholarly examination of the effects of these changes on international venturing across various dimensions: 

• How has the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the strategies, operations, and performance of international new ventures (INVs), and what are the key factors that have influenced their resilience and adaptation?
• What actions do INVs take to repair damage to existing business networks caused by the pandemic? How do INVs decide which networks to save, reform, or invigorate, considering the diverse purposes and resources provided?
• How have international entrepreneurs reframed their business models, value propositions, and market entry strategies in response to the post-Covid global competitive landscape?
• What role does digital transformation play in IE post-Covid, and how international entrepreneurs leverage digital technologies to enhance global competitiveness and resilience?
• How do the experiences and lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis shape the decision-making processes of international entrepreneurs in terms of market selection, entry timing, and risk management?
• Compared to prior periods, how have the rates of INV creation and international venturing patterns changed post-Covid? Are there industry-specific, country-specific, or regional variations in these changes?
• How do INVs overcome limitations in political influence, experiences, and resource bases when managing their post-Covid environment?
• How do these INVs coordinate their networking activities post-Covid to achieve their goals?

 

International Social Entrepreneurship:

The inherent global scope of many societal issues makes entrepreneurial solutions scalable to international contexts. The scope of IE research thus needs to be expanded to include more than mere economic considerations. In particular, it is important to study the interconnectedness of economic and social value in international ventures. Oriented towards financial, social, and environmental goals either for profit or not for profit, international social ventures (ISVs), as different from INVs, regard social impact as their core objective rather than a positive side-effect to profit. Accordingly, we call for research to revise the definitions and boundaries of IE and address such questions as:

• To what extent are ISVs similar to, or different from, INVs? How do the four key elements defining INVs, namely their internalization choices, alternative governance structures, foreign location advantages, and unique resources, relate to ISVs?
• How do ISVs organize across borders in the conduct of their activities? What is the role of cross-border partnerships (e.g. with private corporations, civil society, and non-governmental actors) to increase social impact? How do ISVs form these partnerships?
• What are the unique resources of ISVs? How do they transfer and use firm-specific resources to maximize social impact across borders?
• How do ISVs balance the social motive with the economic motive? To what extent does their social value come at the expense of economic value?
• To what extent are ISVs confronted with the challenge of conflicting stakeholder expectations in trying to bridge the economic and social imperatives, and how do they respond to this challenge?

 

IE’s Contribution to Changing Markets and Institutions:

Exogenous factors such as trade liberalization and decreased transportation costs have played a significant role in the growth of IE. However, the current global context is witnessing a rise in protectionism, populism, and nationalism and growing geopolitical uncertainty related to the conflict in Ukraine and the strained U.S.-China relations. It is crucial to understand how this affects IE. This call encourages researchers to examine entrepreneurial internationalization under these challenging conditions. By examining the interplay between entrepreneurial action and context, researchers can shed light on the creation of future markets and institutions:

• How does the rise in protectionism, populism, nationalism and geopolitical uncertainty influence entrepreneurial internationalization strategies and outcomes in different geographies/countries?
• How do international entrepreneurs adapt their strategies and business models to overcome the frictions and constraints imposed by changing markets and institutions?
• How does the interplay between entrepreneurial action and context shape the creation and evolution of future markets and institutions in the face of uncertainty and changing global dynamics?
• What are the comparative dynamics and patterns of IE across different geographies/countries under conditions of rising protectionism and nationalism?
• What are the institutional and regulatory barriers facing entrepreneurs in different geographies/countries, and how do these barriers affect their internationalization decisions and activities?
• How can entrepreneurship contribute to shaping new markets and institutions in the context of changing economic and political geographies?
• What are the implications of the changing global context for entrepreneurial ecosystems, and how do these ecosystems contribute to the creation of future markets and institutions under conditions of uncertainty and increased barriers?

 

Digitalization and International Entrepreneurship:

Digital technologies have given rise to platforms, which are network structures where users place a higher value on interactions with other users. Such platforms have significantly influenced entrepreneurial internationalization. AI is another technological trend that has the potential to transform how business is conducted globally. This call invites researchers to examine how digital technologies influence IE and investigate the distinctive nature of opportunity co-creation within digital entrepreneurial ecosystems. Additionally, it encourages exploring the formation and exploitation of opportunities across borders by i-businesses, the role of AI in the IE process and considering multiple levels of analysis in studying platforms and digital contexts.

• How do digital technologies enable entrepreneurial internationalization to follow different paths, develop alternative characteristics, and create new meanings in comparison to traditional internationalization processes?
• What are the key factors that influence the formation and growth of i-businesses, and how do these organizations form and exploit opportunities across borders?
• How do i-businesses leverage digital platforms and AI to overcome traditional barriers to internationalization and access global markets?
• What are the distinctive entrepreneurial processes and strategies employed by i-businesses compared to traditional organizations in the context of IE?
• How do digital platforms and AI facilitate the identification, evaluation, and exploitation of international opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures?
• What are the key factors that influence the success of INVs in connecting with global markets, resources, and partners through digitization?
• What is the role of digital infrastructure and AI in enabling or hindering the ability of INVs to engage in IE?
• How do different levels of analysis (individual, organizational, industry, societal) contribute to our understanding of the formation, development, and impact of digital platforms on IE?
• How do digital technologies influence the creation and evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems, and what are the implications for IE and value creation? What are the distinct features and potential lock-in effects of these ecosystems?

 

We invite educators and researchers to submit 2-page proposals addressing these and related topics by November 8, 2023. Empirical, conceptual, and theoretical contributions are welcome. Papers should be rigorous, relevant, and contribute to advancing knowledge in IE, offer practical implications, and provide actionable insights for policymakers. Interdisciplinary perspectives and comparative analyses are encouraged. The submission portal will be open from Monday, September 18, 2023 to Wednesday, November 8, 2023. Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of two proposals for CEEC 2024. 

 

• September 18, 2023 - Proposal Submission Portal Open 
• November 8, 2023 - Submit Proposals by 11:59 pm PST (this is California time zone)
• Early-December, 2023 – Decision Notification Sent
• December 11, 2023 - Registration System Open
• April 17-18, 2024 –Kickoff and Pre-Conference Events 
• April 19-20, 2024 – Conference Keynotes and Presentations

• Christian Felzenzstein, Clarkson University, USA
• Sascha Fuerst, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico
• Martina Musteen, San Diego State University, USA
• Imtiaz Mostafiz, University of Bolton, UK
• Sarika Pruthi, San Jose State University, USA

For any questions regarding the IE subtheme CfP, please contact Professor Martina Musteen ([email protected])