Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. The editors map out a vision for research on women and entrepreneurship and using a contextual framework that includes aspiration, behavior and confidence. They delve into issues such as social identity, start-ups, crowdfunding and context to set a new foundation for future research on entrepreneurship and gender.

In the last two decades social entrepreneurship has grown in energy and impact as entrepreneurial spirit has increasingly turned to finding solutions for social, cultural and environmental issues. As social entrepreneurship has grown in popularity, so too has its academic study. A Research Agenda for Social Entrepreneurship brings together contributions from developing paths in the field to signpost the directions ahead for the study of social entrepreneurship.

This informative book is a comprehensive, research-based text on for educators, trainers and policy makers. It provides an insightful analysis into the range of issues facing female entrepreneurs around the world, along with recommendations as to how support agencies, educators and trainers can best respond to the challenge of encouraging more women to get involved in the new business creation. Based on a collection of research papers from international scholars based in the UK, mainland Europe, the USA and Australia, it provides a superbly comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities faced by female entrepreneurs worldwide. With contributors from Sara Carter, Candida Brush, John Watson and Elisabet Ljunggren, the book helps advance the general understanding of female entrepreneurship and helps set a research agenda on how best to promote female owned/led businesses nationally and internationally.

This volume examines the involvement of minority- or women-owned businesses in technology-based research, with particular focus on the differences in research outcomes in achieving commercialization. Specifically, the authors empirically investigate the correlation between technologies from projects funded through the Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the minority or gender demographics of the owners of the businesses conducting the research. This study offers an opportunity to not only examine public-sector agencies’ investments in research, but also to investigate if there are race and/or gender gaps in such business’ participation in innovative activities. It also provides a means to understand innovation by minorities and women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Investments in fundamental science and technology research and investments in human capital through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education are important building blocks of innovation. Two methods of fueling innovation are to 1) accelerate the commercialization of federally funded research and 2) ensure opportunities for underrepresented minorities and women in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Despite this understanding, there is still a disparity in the rates of educated men and women in STEM fields participating in entrepreneurship. Moreover, the link between underrepresentation of minorities and women across STEM fields correlates with entrepreneurial entry and performance. This book expands on these findings and estimates the probability that (1) a funded research project reaches completion, (2) the developed technology is commercialized, and finally (3) the commercialized technology is successful in the marketplace (i.e., the business gained revenue and market share from the technology).