Date: Wednesday 20 March 2024
Time: 12:15 (Malta time)
Venue: Online (via Zoom)
Programme:
12:15: Presentation: What Impact for Entrepreneurship? A Conversation on the State of the Art and Open Questions for Sustainability
Speaker: Prof. Andrea Caputo, University of Lincoln, UK
Presentation: Equity crowdfunding as a strategic option for entrepreneurship and exploration of its phases
Speaker: Prof. Ciro Troise, University of Turin, Italy
Hosted by: Department of Corporate Communication & Faculty of Media & Knowledge Sciences
13:00: Q&A session/informal discussion
Admission is free, but kindly reserve a place by sending an email.
What impact for Entrepreneurship? A Conversation on the state of the art and open questions for Sustainability
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of our modern world, the imperative of economic growth and prosperity is inextricably intertwined with the urgent call for sustainability.
Sustainability is defined as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own, accentuating the preservation of resources. Various stakeholders, including businesses, organisations, and governments, play pivotal roles in advancing sustainability. Firms, in particular, must embrace multifaceted approaches, encompassing environmental, social, and economic considerations.
This entails reducing carbon footprints, endorsing energy efficiency, embracing sustainable resources, and committing to ethical labour practices, diversity, and fair wages. The role of entrepreneurship in this context is examined, with a bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review revealing four key thematic areas: social entrepreneurship, sustainable development, female entrepreneurship, and inclusive regional development.
However, the environmental and societal impact of entrepreneurship remains an under-explored dimension. Future research avenues call for a deeper investigation into entrepreneurship's environmental footprint beyond CO2 emissions and standardising terminology for social and environmental impact measurement. This comprehensive exploration will foster a nuanced understanding of entrepreneurship's multifaceted influence on sustainability, society and the environment.
Speaker’s Profile
Andrea Caputo is Prof. of Strategy and Negotiation at the University of Lincoln, UK, and Associate Professor at the University of Trento, Italy. He received his PhD from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
His award-winning research was published in over 100 contributions concerning entrepreneurial decision-making, negotiation, digitalisation and sustainability, internationalisation and strategic management of SMEs.
In 2021 and 2022, he was ranked among World's Top 2% Scientists List of outstanding researchers prepared by Elsevier BV, Stanford University, USA.
He is Editor-in-Chief of Strategic Change (Wiley) and J of Enterprising Communities (Emerald), editor of the “Entrepreneurial Behaviour” Emerald book series, and Associate Editor of J of Management& Organisation, Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, Management Decision and BRQ Business Research Quarterly.
Equity Crowdfunding as a strategic option for entrepreneurship and exploration of its phases
Abstract
The size of global crowdfunding market is growing exponentially in recent years and an increasing number of platforms are spreading around the world. Among the crowdfunding models, the equity crowdfunding (ECF) has become a vital source of external funding for entrepreneurs and a valid alternative to traditional sources like banks, VCs and BAs.
Recent studies have shown that ECF is more than a fundraising tool and it can represent a valuable source of non-monetary benefits; in fact, ECF platforms allow the provision of non-financial resources such as knowledge, networks, and services.
Based on the above, scholars are trying to shed some light on the role of ECF in the post-campaign phase, i.e. how it influences the post-offering life and outcomes of crowdfunded ventures and, at the same time, on the pre-campaign phase, i.e. the exploration of the reasons that led entrepreneurs to prefer ECF to other tools and the related compromise between “last resort” or preferred option.
Both the pre- and post- campaign phases are two promising areas of research given the limited current knowledge. Most of the current research on the topic, in fact, has its roots in the campaign phase, i.e. the study of the dynamics of ECF campaigns and the related factors influencing the funding success.
Similarly, another intriguing area of research that is emerging recently is the study of the intersection between ECF and sustainability. To date, there are very few studies focused on the topic despite the potential offered by ECF platforms in supporting sustainability-oriented startups and the pressing need to achieve sustainable goals.
Speaker’s Profile
Ciro Troise, Ph.D. in Management, is qualified as Associate Prof., and is Senior Assistant Prof. at the University of Turin, Department of Management.
Formerly he has worked in two Italian competition Authorities (AGCOM and AGCM). He is an active scholar in the crowdfunding, innovation, entrepreneurship, small business and management fields.
He has been a visiting scholar at the Queen Mary University of London. He has chaired several tracks, attended many conferences and he has published over 80 publications including papers, books, book chapters and conference papers.
He has published his work in leading international journals including British Journal of Management, Technological Forecasting & Social Change, Technovation, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and Research, International Journal of Information Management, Journal of Business Research.
He has previous editorial experiences as he has acted as a (leading) guest editor of several special issues on the following journals: IJIEBR, IJIM, EJIM, BEER, JSMA. He is editor in chief of International Journal of Electronic Trade, associate editor of European Journal of Innovation Management, and of Journal of Strategy and Management, and a member of several other journal’s editorial boards (e.g. IJEBR, EMJ, IJBG, JPE) and scientific committee (e.g. IFKAD, DIF) and a reviewer for many high impact journals. He won the IFKAD 2022 best paper awards for his research work and the Emerald Literati award 2023 for his outstanding paper published in Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development.