With apologies for cross-posting, please contact me if you are interested. Best wishes, Lech *************************************************************************** CFP RSA Annual Conference, 4-7 June 2017, Dublin SMEs. Family Firms & the Regional Economy Session organiser(s) Lech Suwala, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany: [log in to unmask] Family businesses encompass a broad range of actors, ranging from Germany’s Mittelstand to America’s family farm; from Japanese century old money business dynasties to the new-money elites of Shanghai and Silicon Valley. At the same time, most family business are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); it is a well-known fact, that these types of firms represent the backbone of most economies. In Europe, for instance, they constitute 99% of all businesses; moreover, in the past five years or so, they were responsible for 85% of new jobs and provided two-thirds of the total private sector employment in the EU. Against this background, the session aims to open up a profound debate on this often-neglected topic in regional science and economic geography by collecting diverse work on SMEs and/or family businesses in a regional context. It seeks contributions for a better understanding of past and current SME and/or family firm peculiarities and trajectories from around the world by addressing conceptual, empirical and methodological papers on these types of businesses and their role in regional economies. Papers might address, but are not limited to: Conceptual and theoretical debates about the nature of SME/Family firms Evolution and trajectory of SME/ Family firms Contribution and impact of SME/ Family firms on the regional economy SME/ Family firms specific issues (succession, governance, reputation, professionalisation etc.) in a regional context SME/Family firms in emerging economy regions Submission guidelines Please submit proposals for papers in the form of a 250 word abstract (text only) through the Regional Studies Association conference portal by Friday 24th February 2017. Proposals will be considered by the Conference Programme Committee against the criteria of originality, interest and subject balance. https://members.regionalstudies.org/lounge/Meetings/Meeting?ID=149 -- Dr. Lech Suwala Dipl.-Vw. Dipl.-Geogr. Economic Geography Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Tel: (030) 2093-6861 Fax: (030) 2093-6853 Sitz: Rudower Chaussee 16 Raum 5'102 [log in to unmask] http://www.geographie.hu-berlin.de/Members/suwala_lech/ ____ AIB-L is brought to you by the Academy of International Business. For information: http://aib.msu.edu/community/aib-l.asp To post message: [log in to unmask] For assistance: [log in to unmask] AIB-L is a moderated list.