Entrepreneurship: The Engine of Growth

Entrepreneurship is credited for technological invention, the rise of corporate empires, and directly linked to economic development around the world. This multi-volume set of original essays showcases emerging theory and practice in entrepreneurship to illuminate its many facets, covering such topics as business models, entrepreneurial "mindset," market research, capitalization, intellectual property, risk and uncertainty, and organizational culture. Volume 1, "People," focuses on the intersection between individuals and entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on the cognitive, economic, social, and institutional factors that influence people's behavior with respect to entrepreneurship. Volume 2, "Process," explores such topics as idea generation, market entry, financing, team building, and growth strategies, following the lifecycle of a new venture. Volume 3, "Place," considers the context in which entrepreneurship is practiced, including corporate venturing, family enterprise, franchising, and public policies designed to promote entrepreneurship and economic development. Featuring contributions from leading scholars and practitioners, and with a global perspective throughout, this unique set explores new models, trends, and practices in entrepreneurship that will be of interest to a wide array of academics, professionals, and newcomers to the field.

Maria Minniti is Professor of Economics and Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College. Her articles on entrepreneurship, economic growth, and complexity theory have appeared in such publications as theJournal of Economic Behavior and Organizations, the Journal of Business Venturing,Small Business Economics Journal, Comparative Economic Studies, andEntrepreneurship Theory and Practice. Also the author of book chapters and research monographs, she is the Research Driector of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) project and an associate editor of theSmall Business Economics Journal.

Andrew Zacharakis is the John H. Muller, Jr. Chair in Entrepreneurship at Babson College, where he previously served as Chair of the Entrepreneurship Department and Acting Director of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship. Associate editor of the Journal of Small Business Management — editor, with William Bygrave, ofThe Portable MBA in Entrepreneurship, and author of many articles, he actively consults with entrepreneurs and small business start-ups. He has been interviewed in newspapers nationwide, includingThe Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today, and has appeared on the Bloomberg Small Busienss Report and been interviewed on National Public Radio. He teaches seminars to leading corporations, and has run executive workshops around the world. He is also coauthor, with Jeffrey Timmons and Stephen Spinelli Jr., ofBusiness Plans That Work and How to Raise Capital.

Stephen Spinelli Jr. is Babson College's Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship. An Associate Professor, he holds the the Paul T. Babson Chair in Entrepreneurship and the Alan Lewis Chair in Global Management. A recognized leader in defining the field of entrepreneurship, prior to his academic career he cofounded Jiffy Lube International and subsequently founded and served as Chairman and CEO of American Oil Change Corporation. His research has appeared in such publications as theJournal of Business Venturing and Frontiers of Entrepreneurship. He has also been featured inThe Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Boston Globe, Entrepreneur, and Inc. He has consulted for major corporations, and is coauthor of several books, includingFranchising and New Venture Creation, and, with Jeffry Timmons and Andrew Zacharakis,Business Plans That Work and How to Raise Capital.

Mark P. Rice is the Murata Dean of the F.W. Olin School of Business and the Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at Babson College. His research on corporate innovation and entrepreneurship has been published widely in academic and practitioner journals, including Organization Science, R&D Management,Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, IEEE Engineering Management Review,Academy of Management Executive, and California Management Review. Dean Rice has been a director and chairman of the National Business Incubation Association, which honored him in 1998 with its Founder's Award. He is coauthor ofRadical Innovation, and, with Jana Matthews, Growing New Ventures, Creating New Jobs (Quorum, 1995).

Timothy G. Habbershon is Founding Director of the Institute for Family Enterprising at Babson College, where he holds the President's Term Chair in Family Enterprising. Additionally, he is a founding partner in the TELOS Group, providing transition and strategy consultations to large family firms worldwide. Previously, he was the founding director of family business programs in the Snider Entrepreneurship Center at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and in the Freeman Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship in the School of Business, University of South Dakota. His research on family business has appeared in such journals asFamily Business Review, the Journal of Business Venturing, and Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. He also has a regular column—Family, Inc.—inBusinessWeek's Small Biz magazine, and teaches regularly in executive education programs and presents at conferences in the U.S. and internationally.