UW College of Business to Host Entrepreneurship Research Conference Jan. 17

The University of Wyoming College of Business will host the inaugural Rocky Mountain Entrepreneurship Research Conference Friday and Saturday, Jan. 17-18.

The conference is intended to provide a venue where thought leaders in the field, from inside and outside Wyoming, link theory and practice, and to encourage and increase quality research on entrepreneurship, according to organizers.

“Wyoming’s frontier spirit is cultivated through a reliance on entrepreneurial thinking, and UW represents the perfect venue for this event,” says Patrick Kreiser, event co-organizer and Rile Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at UW. “We are planning to make this a discussion-based conference that examines cutting-edge topics that exhibit both relevance and rigor.”

The conference will offer multiple sessions focused on research in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation, as well as presentations on recently submitted work to Volume 22 of Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth.

The “Advances” series provides an annual examination of current research, along with theoretical and methodological efforts in the field of entrepreneurship and related disciplines. The series additionally publishes papers from other fields, such as strategy, organizational behavior, psychology and sociology, that contribute to important conversations within entrepreneurship theory and research, Kreiser says.

This past year marked the 25th anniversary of the “Advances” series.

“I can think of no better way to embark on our second quarter of a century than by bringing some of the world’s leading entrepreneurship scholars to the University of Wyoming College of Business,” says Andrew Corbett, event co-organizer and Paul T. Babson Chair of Entrepreneurship and chair of the Entrepreneurship Division at Babson College. “This conference will bring unique insights into the study of entrepreneurial orientation and redefine our understanding of this critical concept in entrepreneurship research.”

Volume 22 of the “Advances” series will focus on expanding knowledge about entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Studies discussed at the conference provide insights into the epistemology of EO, the historical evolution of EO research, and the antecedents and consequences of EO in novel contexts or with innovative methodologies.

Just as entrepreneurship is essential to the growth of the economy, research on the topic is needed to ensure that students receive the world-class education needed to be equipped for the business demands of tomorrow, says Jeffrey McMullen, professor of entrepreneurship and David H. Jacobs Chair in Strategic Management at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He will attend the conference.

“Topic-focused conferences like the Rocky Mountain Entrepreneurship Research Conference are integral for pushing the theory and practice of entrepreneurship forward,” McMullen says. “They allow researchers across universities to share with others what they have learned and discuss next steps toward better understanding of this important phenomenon.”

He adds that the Journal of Business Venturing, the field of entrepreneurship’s leading scientific journal, will be involved in this weekend’s conference.

The conference will include leading academics in the field of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial orientation, including McMullen and Jeffrey Covin, Indiana University; Corbett, Babson College; Tom Lumpkin, University of Oklahoma; Louis Marino, University of Alabama; and William Wales, University at Albany.

“Entrepreneurship is important for a number of reasons, from promoting social change to driving innovation and furthering economic development,” says David Sprott, dean of UW’s College of Business. “Wyoming has demonstrated a commitment to the creation of a strong, supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurship, and we are delighted that the first time this event is held, it will be at the University of Wyoming.”