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A worldwide forum for the discussion of ideas and experience relating to the development and application of entrepreneurship.

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Edited by:
Dr Gerard McElwee

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Editorial coverage

The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation was launched at the beginning of a century in which an understanding of the nature, process and practice of entrepreneurship will be a key factor in economic success.

Worldwide, the proliferation of small businesses and their increasing importance in the economy mean that the management and growth of such enterprises are ever-more critical in national and regional development. At the same time, changes in work patterns and the frequent opportunities for innovation offered by accelerating technological development make entrepreneurship within organizations - 'intrapreneurship' - a core challenge for large companies. From multinational to micro-enterprise, no business can afford to ignore this issue.

What is entrepreneurship? Can it be taught? How do entrepreneurs balance their innovative talents with the need to manage their business and control its growth? How do large organizations encourage and empower entrepreneurial behaviour? The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation addresses these and many other questions, focusing on practical application - from becoming an entrepreneur, through making financial choices, through strategic planning, to internationalization and acquisition. As entrepreneurship also has a key role to play outside the private sector, the journal includes in its coverage entrepreneurial issues in non-profit public-sector organizations.

Published quarterly, IJEI provides a worldwide forum for the exploration and dissemination of ideas and experience relating to the development and application of entrepreneurship. The journal takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on the highest-quality work in business and management and in the social sciences.

Authors and readers are drawn from universities, government, and industry. In particular, IJEI will appeal to researchers and teachers concerned with entrepreneurship and related issues in higher education (especially in business schools, and university departments of management, sociology and psychology); to government departments and initiatives whose objective is to promote entrepreneurial and innovative activity; and to human resources directors and chief executives in industry, as well as to entrepreneurs themselves.

The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ISSN 1465-7503) is a refereed journal and is published in February, May, August and November. Online access to the electronic edition is provided as a free supplement to subscribers to the printed journal.

Key topics
  • Strategic dimensions of growth
  • The entrepreneur as manager of a growing company
  • Financing company growth
  • Internationalization and growth
  • The acquisitions process of a growing company
  • Teaching entrepreneurship
  • Strategic alliances
  • New forms of organization
  • Women and entrepreneurship
  • Entrepreneurial behaviour in large organizations
  • Entrepreneurship in developing countries
  • Making allies in business
  • Ethics, the entrepreneur and the company
Contents

Each issue of IJEI includes four to six double-blind peer-reviewed papers. Contents and abstracts of the latest issue are available on this Website.

In addition to the selected papers, regular features are:

  • A case study of around 2,000-3,000 words. Designed for use in the 'classroom', case studies will be supported by questions, provided either by the author or the editor. The case studies will be diverse in coverage and approach. They may, for example: (1) describe a process whereby an entrepreneurial activity has succeeded or failed; (2) outline the stages involved in establishing a new enterprise: innovation, start-up, maturation, growth and decline; or (3) analyse a particular facet of a new enterprise (eg a human resource issue or the financing of the enterprise).
  • The Internet Review. This section identifies and reviews Websites of interest for those interested in research on entrepreneurship, small firms and innovation in an international context.

Submissions - Notes For Authors

Authors: please read and revise your manuscript to achieve the following requirements before submitting your manuscript to the Editor. Submissions should be sent by e-mail to Dr Gerard McElwee.

Length and presentation of contributions

Articles should preferably be in the region of 3,000–5,000 words and no longer than 6,000. Case studies are also sought, and such contributions will be especially welcome from practising entrepreneurs. These should be between 2,000 and 3,000 words long. Submissions should be submitted electronically as Word documents (please do not send PDF files).

The text should be ordered under appropriate sub-headings (not numbered paragraphs or sections) and these should not be more than 800 words apart. Three levels of sub-heading are possible. Please double space all text.

The title page should show the names and addresses of the authors, their professional status and affiliation and the address (including e-mail) to which correspondence should be sent. As this page will not be sent to referees, the title of the article (without author names) should be repeated on the first text page.

An abstract should be provided, comprising 80–100 words.

Between 3 and 6 keywords should appear below the abstract, highlighting the main topics of the paper.

References should follow the Harvard system. That is, they should be shown within the text as the author’s surname (or authors’ surnames) followed by a comma and the year of publication, all in round brackets: for example, (Smith, 2001). At the end of the article a bibliographical list should be supplied, organized alphabetically by author (surnames followed by initials - all authors should be named). Bibliographic information should be given in the order indicated by the following examples:

* Articles: McMullan, W.E., and Vesper, K.H. (2000), 'Becoming an entrepreneur: a participant's perspective', International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Vol 1, No 1, pp 33-43.

 * Books: Casson, M. (2003), The Entrepreneur: An Economic Theory, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.

Notes should be numbered consecutively in the text and typed in plain text at the end of the paper (not as footnotes on text pages).

Tables should be reduced to the simplest form and present only essential data. They should be submitted on separate sheets at the end of the article. The use of vertical rules in tables should be avoided.

For illustrations, line drawings and black and white photographs are acceptable. Authors are asked to supply originals of line drawings for reproduction.

Case studies

Case studies are welcome and should follow the format described above. They should be accompanied by a set of questions and model answers (see previous issues for clarification).

Structure of papers

Please do provide: (a) clear aims and objectives; (b) a clear research question; (c) a discussion of your methodological approach; (d) a discussion of the limitations of your methodology; (e) further research questions if appropriate; (f) the policy implications of your paper if appropriate. Please also ensure that the bibliography is as contemporary as possible.

Pre-submission checklist
  1. Indicate in your covering letter (that is, your e-mail message) of submission what is unique and valuable about the manuscript.
  2. All figures and tables must be at the end of the manuscript; indicate the desired placement in text with ‘Insert Table 1 about here’ etc.
  3. Make sure that you double space everything on the cover, abstract, text, and reference pages using 12-point Times Roman type.
  4. Use UK English.
  5. Consider asking someone to read the manuscript before submission and give comments to you. The person can be thanked in the footnote paragraph at the bottom of the cover page.
  6. Centre page numbers at the foot of each page; do not place a page number on the cover page.
  7. Include the month and year in the centre of the cover page.
  8. Quotations should be within single quotation marks.
Prior Publication

Articles are received on the understanding that they are original contributions, and have not been published officially, either in print or electronic form, or submitted for publication elsewhere. In this respect, ‘discussion’ or ‘working’ papers, conference presentations and proceedings are not considered to be official publications, unless they have been formally deemed so by conference organizers, or presented as edited works through recognized publishing channels. If in doubt, authors are asked to draw the attention of the Editor to any prior dissemination of the paper in their letter of submission.

Refereeing

Academic papers will be subject to a ‘double blind’ review – the anonymity of both authors and referees will be preserved throughout the refereeing process. Papers by authors who are not academics (such as submissions from practising entrepreneurs) will also be subject to review before acceptance, but their distinct nature and aims will be fully taken into account.

Copyright

Unless otherwise indicated, submissions are received on the understanding that they are original contributions, and have not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. The Editor reserves the right to edit or otherwise alter contributions, but authors will see proofs before publication. Authors will be asked to assign copyright, where possible, to IP Publishing Ltd. Relevant authors’ rights are protected.

Editorial Board

Editor: Dr Gerard McElwee, Lincoln Business School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK. E-mail: gmcelwee(at)lincoln.ac.uk

Regional Editors: Asia - Professor Manoj Joshi, Amity University, India; Canada and USA - Professor E. McMullan, University of Calgary, Canada; Europe - Dr Sarah Drakopoulou Dodd, ALBA Graduate School of Business, Greece.

Internet Review Editor: Clifford Conway, Small Business Research Unit, Brighton Business School, University of Brighton, Mithras House, Lewes Road, Brighton BN2 4AT, UK. E-mail: c.conway(at)brighton.ac.uk

Book Reviews Editor: Geoff Whittam, Business School, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK. E-mail: Geoffrey.Whittam(at)uws.ac.uk

Editorial Advisory Board
  • Dr Tamym Abdessemed,
    HEC Paris, France
  • Professor Alistair R. Anderson
    The Robert Gordon University, UK
  • Professor Andrew Atherton
    University of Lincoln, UK
  • Professor Sara Carter
    University of Strathclyde, UK
  • Professor Leo Paul Dana
    University of Canterbury, New Zealand
  • Professor Davide Dell'Anno
    Second University of Naples, Italy
  • Professor Alain Fayolle
    EM Lyon, France
  • Dr Rainer Harms
    University of Twente, The Netherlands
  • Professor Bill Keogh
    Heriot-Watt University, UK
  • Professor Jill Kickul
    NYU Stern School of Business, USA
  • Dr Patricia Lewis
    Brunel University, UK
  • Lorimer D.M. Mackenzie
    Edinburgh, UK
  • Professor Harry Matlay
    Birmingham City University Business School, UK
  • Professor Jay Mitra
    University of Essex, UK
  • Dr Kevin Mole
    University of Warwick, UK
  • Professor Michael H. Morris
    Oklahoma State University, USA
  • Professor Wai-sum Siu
    Hong Kong Baptist University
  • Professor George T. Solomon
    Geroge Washington University, USA
  • Professor Harriet B. Stephenson
    Seattle University, USA
  • Professor Rhodri Thomas
    Leeds Metropolitan University, UK
  • Dr Peter van der Sijde
    Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Professor Kari M. Vesala
    University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr Lorraine Warren
    University of Southampton, UK
  • Professor Paul Westhead
    Durham University Business School, UK
  • Dr David Wilemon
    Syracuse University, USA
  • Professor Colin C. Williams,
    University of Sheffield, UK

Books for review

If you would like to review a book, please contact the Book Reviews Editor (details below). Publishers should send books for review to:

Geoff Whittam
Business School
University of the West of Scotland
Paisley Campus
Paisley
PA1 2BE
UK
E-mail: Geoffrey.Whittam(at)uws.ac.uk

NOVEMBER 2009 ISSUE (VOL 10, NO 4)

SPECIAL ISSUE: CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP: CHALLENGES AND NEW PERSPECTIVES

Guest editors: Alain Fayolle, Olivier Basso and Véronique Bouchard

253 Introduction

257 Making a difference by becoming the same

Hélène Mialet

267 When they do it: institutional entrepreneurship in two Québécois organizations

Caroline Coulombe and Ignasi Martí

279 The microfoundations of corporate entrepreneurship as an organizational capability

Carlo Salvato, Salvatore Sciascia and Fernando G. Alberti

291 Solving the innovation dilemma by creating organizational think tanks

Tatjana- Xenia Puhan and Rick Vogel

301 Achieving strategic intent through corporate venturing: the role of strategic relationships and market orientation

Richard Tunstall, Clair Jordain, Luke Pittaway and Brychan Thomas

313 Entrepreneurial orientation: the making of a concept

Olivier Basso, Alain Fayolle and Véronique Bouchard

323 INTERNET REVIEW

Corporate entrepreneurship: maintaining creativity and innovation in large firms

Clifford Conway

324 BOOK REVIEWS

Jeff Jarvis, What Would Google Do? (reviewed by Benoît Gailly and Olga Belousova)

William Bains, Venture Capital and the European Biotechnology Industry (reviewed by Lorraine Warren)

327 Index to Volume 10, 2009

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Title: Making a difference by becoming the same

Author(s): Hélène Mialet

Abstract: Based on an ethnographic study in an international petroleum company, this paper shows how a research scientist behind the discovery of groundbreaking new techniques distinguishes himself through his creative skills in formulating working instruments, organizational structures and human relations. The author argues that the more this actor is linked up with his institution, his objects of research, his co-workers, and so on, the more inventive he becomes; and the more inventive he becomes, the more he seemingly distinguishes himself by his singularity as an inventor – a genius who exists beyond social, material and cultural constraints. The author calls this actor the ‘distributed- centred subject’.

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Title: When they do it: institutional entrepreneurship in two Québécois organizations

Author(s): Caroline Coulombe and Ignasi Martí

Abstract: This article analyses from an institutional perspective efforts by two entrepreneurs in governmental organizations to promote new practices and programmes and the nature of the challenges they encounter as they deviate from, and attempt to disrupt, institutionalized practices. These two case studies are used to gain knowledge on why and how individuals become institutional entrepreneurs. The article provides insights into the processes an institutional entrepreneur goes through in an institution that does not provide support. The authors finally suggest potential avenues for cross-fertilization between the corporate entrepreneurship and institutional entrepreneurship literatures.

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Title: The microfoundations of corporate entrepreneurship as an organizational capability

Author(s): Carlo Salvato, Salvatore Sciascia and Fernando G. Alberti

Abstract: The authors propose a conceptualization of corporate entrepreneurship as an organizational capability that allows firms to overcome internal constraints systematically so that they can reinvent themselves through novel business initiatives. The paper adopts the knowledge-based concept of absorptive capacity to identify the microfoundations of a firm’s corporate entrepreneurship capability for opportunity recognition and exploitation. It advances a model that combines the individual-level role of entrepreneurial managers with firm-level efforts to strengthen entrepreneurial processes over time.

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Title: Solving the innovation dilemma by creating organizational think tanks

Author(s): Tatjana-Xenia Puhan and Rick Vogel

Abstract: In business venturing, the simultaneous activity of searching for hitherto unknown opportunities while pursuing already identified opportunities gives rise to high-tension and contradictory processes. This innovation dilemma presents a key managerial challenge to corporate entrepreneurship. To this dilemma the authors apply the exploration/exploitation framework and argue that a balance of the divergent organizational and managerial needs of these two activities can be achieved more efficiently and effectively in a network-like structure of organizations. They take a design-oriented approach and, as a solution to the innovation dilemma, argue the case for a centre of explorative excellence as both focal point and mediator in an inter-organizational network, which they call an ‘organizational think tank’.

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Title: Achieving strategic intent through corporate venturing: the role of strategic relationships and market orientation

Author(s): Richard Tunstall, Clair Jordain, Luke Pittaway and Brychan Thomas

Abstract: This principally conceptual paper explores how, in conjunction with its market orientation, a firm’s internal and external strategic relationships may be used in implementing corporate venturing to achieve its strategic intent. Conceptually, the paper begins by exploring work on strategic corporate venturing. Building on this analysis, a dichotomy between internally sustained and externally partnered strategic relationships is discussed, as is the role of market orientation. From this discussion, a conceptual framework is developed and applied to an examination of three longitudinal case studies of multinational organizations. In light of these cases, the paper explores how strategic relationships may be used in corporate ventures to counter adverse market forces or to exploit market opportunities. The paper concludes by showing how organizational strategic intent, realized through market orientation and strategic relationships, may develop dynamically in response to external and internal influences.

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Title: Entrepreneurial orientation: the making of a concept

Author(s): Olivier Basso, Alain Fayolle and Véronique Bouchard

Abstract: Researchers in management science are increasingly concerned with the rigour of their research work and their capacity to build knowledge based on a cumulative research model. This article examines the strength of the entrepreneurial orientation construct, extensively used in entrepreneurship and strategy. Based on a close analysis of the seminal literature, the authors propose a critical evaluation of the development of the construct, which is a preliminary condition to enhancing its operationalization.

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Title: Internet Review: Corporate entrepreneurship - maintaining creativity and innovation in large firms

Author(s): Clifford Conway

Abstract: ‘Internet Review’ provides critical commentary on entrepreneurship, small business and innovation information on the Web.

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