Special Issue Call for Papers 

Artificial Intelligence in Entrepreneurship

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research

Introduction

The infusion of artificial intelligence (AI) into the entrepreneurial landscape marks a transformative era (Robledo et al., 2023) where value creation through innovation is not just an aspiration but a tangible reality. This special issue is devoted to uncovering the multifaceted role of AI in empowering entrepreneurial firms to transition from ideation to value creation. The omnipresence of AI in contemporary entrepreneurial practices has redefined the essence of business operations, strategy formulation, and decision-making processes (Lévesque, Obschonka, & Nambisan, 2022). Its potential in entrepreneurship extends beyond mere automation. Because it promises to revolutionize how entrepreneurs think, conceptualize, strategize, and operationalize business ventures (Nambisan, Wright, & Feldman, 2019). This technological leap presents an intriguing inquiry into how AI can act in practice as a catalyst for transforming creative ideas into profitable ventures. 

While AI’s integration into business operations is common, the current research landscape reveals a significant gap in our understanding of the role of AI in tangible entrepreneurial value creation (Chalmers, MacKenzie, & Carter, 2021; Giuggioli & Pellegrini, 2022; Gupta et al., 2023; Lévesque et al., 2022; Shepherd & Majchrzak, 2022; Short & Short, 2023). First, there is a notable deficiency in comprehensive theoretical frameworks that specifically address the mechanisms through which AI facilitates the transformation of creative ideas into profitable business ventures in entrepreneurial firms. This gap is further widened by the scarcity of empirical studies providing concrete insights into the practical values of AI on entrepreneurial decision-making, strategy development, and overall business growth. Additionally, after integrating AI into the decision-making process, the ethical implications of AI in entrepreneurship are not adequately explored, leaving questions about navigating ethical dilemmas, such as data privacy and algorithmic bias, largely unanswered. 

This special issue aims to bridge several gaps by fostering a multidisciplinary discourse on AI’s role in entrepreneurial value creation. We invite scholars to contribute insights that expand our theoretical understanding of AI in entrepreneurship and offer practical implications for entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers.

List of topic areas

This special issue encourages works from across disciplines and cross-disciplinary collaborations, for example, among information systems and entrepreneurship and technology scholars, as but some examples. Matters of interest include:

1. AI-driven decision support systems have emerged as an essential tool for entrepreneurs, helping them with various decision-making tasks, such as opportunity identification, resource allocation, and risk management (Battisti, Agarwal, & Brem, 2022). However, the effectiveness of AI-driven decision support systems depends on the quality and comprehensiveness of the data used, the appropriateness of the underlying mechanism (Song et al., 2022), and the analytical capability available to entrepreneurs to create values. 
2. AI technologies can potentially transform how entrepreneurs craft strategies and implement them locally and globally. Some studies suggest that AI can facilitate innovation by automating routine tasks, enabling entrepreneurs to focus on creative problem-solving and strategic thinking (Garbuio & Lin, 2021; Nambisan et al., 2019). However, concerns have been raised about the possible displacement of human intuition and creativity in entrepreneurial decision-making due to the over-reliance on AI (Townsend & Hunt, 2019). Redistribution of power and obstruction to knowledge, creativity, and learning could also be observed (Simeonova, 2022).
3. AI applications in entrepreneurship raise ethical concerns, including privacy, data security, and algorithmic bias (Obschonka & Audretsch, 2020). For example, using AI in decision-making can lead to biased outcomes if the underlying algorithms are based on partial data or assumptions, potentially perpetuating existing inequalities (Kleinberg et al., 2018). Moreover, increasing reliance on AI might reduce human agency and accountability in entrepreneurial decision-making (Shrestha, Ben-Menahem, & Von Krogh, 2019). The importance of the decision-making context, tacit knowledge, and the use of AI needs consideration (Simeonova, 2022).
4. The speed of AI’s commercialization far outpaces our conceptual and theoretical development and empirical understanding. There are enormous ramifications. First, how does AI affect the completeness, functioning, and predictions of time-honoured theories of entrepreneurship, strategy, and management? Second, does AI change the boundaries of businesses in ways that affect the theories of the firm? Third, what should a mid-range theory of AI in the entrepreneurial organization consist of?

Several research gaps and opportunities for future exploration exist. For this Special Issue, we strongly encourage authors to think expansively and creatively about their research questions. However, as a primer, topics of interest include, but are not limited to: 

The special issue encourages researchers to use multidisciplinary approaches and explore novel theoretical perspectives and empirical studies to advance the knowledge surrounding AI in entrepreneurship and contribute to developing strategies and best practices for value creation in entrepreneurial venturing.

Guest Editors

a) Dr Md Imtiaz Mostafiz, Associate Professor in Strategy and International Business, University of Leicester, UK, [log in to unmask]

b) Professor Mathew Hughes, Schulze Distinguished Professor and Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Leicester, UK, [log in to unmask] 

c) Dr Farhad Uddin Ahmed, Assistant Professor in Strategy and International Business, School of Business, Maynooth University, Ireland, [log in to unmask] 

d) Dr Nazha Gali, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, Canada. [log in to unmask] 

e) Dr Boyka Simeonova, Associate Professor of Innovation, School of Business, University of Leicester, UK, [log in to unmask]

Key Deadlines

Closing date for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024

Email for submission queries: [log in to unmask]