 |
 |
Call for Papers "Cybersecurity in Entrepreneurship: Threats, Opportunities, and Future Directions" Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences The ubiquity of digital technologies has significantly revolutionized the business landscape and permeated all of modern life. The concept of digitalization in entrepreneurship has emerged as an exciting field where ventures are created and managed through the innovative applications of digital technologies (Kraus et al., 2019). Digitalization in entrepreneurship has been identified as a critical driver for economic growth and innovation, offering new pathways to create and capture value across a whole spectrum of industry sectors (Nambisan, Wright, & Feldman, 2019). The proliferation of digital technology offers immense opportunities for new entrepreneurial endeavors, facilitating access to global markets, offering cost-effective means of conducting business, and enabling the development of novel business models (Nambisan et al., 2017). However, the increasing reliance on digital technologies has concurrently escalated the risks associated with cybersecurity (O’Connell, 2012), and entrepreneurial firms are not free from this risk (Glen, 2021). Entrepreneurs, in their quest to exploit the benefits of the digital ecosystem, are increasingly handling vast amounts of sensitive data (Upadhyay et al., 2023), making them attractive targets for cyber-attacks. This was highlighted by the global ransomware attack in 2017 that affected over 200,000 organizations across 150 countries, including startups (The Guardian, 2017). Such cyber threats underline the urgency to focus on cybersecurity in entrepreneurship, particularly considering the potentially devastating effects of such attacks. Cybersecurity breaches can lead to direct financial losses from disruption of operations and extortion by attackers. They can also result in indirect losses from reputational damage, customer attrition, loss of competitive advantage, and penalties from regulatory non-compliance (Romanosky, 2016). The impact of cybersecurity breaches on businesses can be so severe that it could lead to the ultimate failure of the venture (Trautman & Ormerod, 2016). Given the rapid proliferation of digitalization in entrepreneurial venturing and the equally rapid evolution of cybersecurity threats, it becomes critical for entrepreneurs to recognize and effectively address these challenges. This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the nature of cyber threats and an in-depth knowledge of the strategies and measures to counter these threats. However, despite the increasing recognition of the significance of cybersecurity, scholarly exploration of this phenomenon remains very limited (Chandna & Tiwari, 2023; Lévesque, Obschonka, & Nambisan, 2022; Nambisan, 2017; Nambisan et al., 2019). This special issue aims to address this gap by calling for contributions that delve into the realm of cybersecurity within the context of entrepreneurship. Understanding the intersection of these two critical fields can provide invaluable insights for entrepreneurs, policy-makers, and academics alike, offering strategies and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely and successfully. This special issue aims to contribute towards a safer and more secure digitalization in the business ecosystem by shedding light on the pressing issue of cybersecurity in entrepreneurship. We, therefore, invite empirical contributions, including case studies of small and medium-scale organizations, as well as large organisations in various geographical contexts, and empirical studies that illuminate and compare challenges and vulnerabilities associated with specific technologies, such as cloud computing, Internet of things, mobile apps and 5G networks. We also encourage conceptual papers that explicate the linkages and interactions among factors such as adaptive threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, privacy concerns, regulatory compliance, and incidence response and recovery. Potential Research Topics Submissions are invited on the following indicative but not exhaustive topics: 1. Perspectives, practices, and paradigms * Exploring the integration of cybersecurity practices in entrepreneurship from inception to growth stages. * Analyzing the challenges and opportunities associated with embedding cybersecurity in business models. * Understanding the impact of cybersecurity on entrepreneurial decision-making processes. 2. Cyber threats in entrepreneurship * Examining the typology of cyber threats specific to entrepreneurial enterprises. * Investigating the relation between specific business practices and associated cyber threats. * A comparative study of cyber threats faced by startups versus established businesses. 3. Cybersecurity breaches and implications * Assessing the direct and indirect costs of cybersecurity breaches. * Analyzing the immediate, spatial and long-term impact of cybersecurity breaches on businesses. * Exploring the strategic shifts and renewal induced by cybersecurity breaches in entrepreneurial ventures. 4. Strategies for cybersecurity practices * Investigating the efficacy of existing cybersecurity strategies and technologies in the context of entrepreneurship. * Developing novel, scalable cybersecurity strategies specifically designed for entrepreneurs. * Evaluating the role of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain in enhancing cybersecurity. 5. Regulatory and policy aspects * Understanding the impact of formal cybersecurity regulations in entrepreneurial business. * Critically examining the gap between regulatory frameworks and practical cybersecurity needs of entrepreneurs. * Examine the impact of bilateral and multilateral policy agreements and interventions to bolster cybersecurity in entrepreneurial businesses. 6. Organization culture and business models. * Interplays between the organizational culture and cybersecurity practices. * Exploring ways to foster a cybersecurity-centric culture in entrepreneurial activities. * Evaluating the role of leadership in promoting cybersecurity culture within entrepreneurial businesses. The special issue encourages researchers to use interdisciplinary approaches and explore novel theoretical perspectives and empirical studies to advance the knowledge surrounding Cybersecurity in Entrepreneurship and contribute to developing strategies and best practices for entrepreneurial firms locally and globally. Submission Information Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available at: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjas1 Author guidelines must be followed. Please see: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/19364490/homepage/forauthors.html Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e., in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”. Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else when submitted to or while under review for this journal. Key deadlines Closing date for manuscript submission: 30 March 2024 Email any queries to the handling editor Dr Md Imtiaz Mostafiz, at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Guest Editors 1) Dr Md Imtiaz Mostafiz, Reader in Business, Greater Manchester Business School, University of Bolton, UK. 2) Professor Seun Kolade, Professor of Entrepreneurship & Digital Transformation, Sheffield Business, Sheffield Hallam University, UK. 3) Professor Paul Hughes, Chair in Strategy, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University, UK. Dr Md Imtiaz Mostafiz, FHEA Reader in Business (International Business & Entrepreneurship) Director of Centre for Global Business and Enterprise Greater Manchester Business School | University of Bolton | Bolton | BL1 1SW | United Kingdom. [University of Bolton]<https://www.bolton.ac.uk> This email (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the University of Bolton unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system. Do not use, copy or disclose information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note the University of Bolton monitors emails sent or received. Further communication will signify your consent to this. ____ 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] --- You must be an active AIB member to post to AIB-L . AIB-L has a moderator which checks messages for basic relevance. However, AIB does not edit or screen messages for accuracy or reliability of content. All subscribers are recommended to perform their own due-diligence before responding to any requests or calls. AIB accepts no liability for the content of this email, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.