The Conference Proceedings 2019

The 10th, anniversary, International Conference ‘Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice: Present and Future’ was held from 10 to 13 June 2019 in St. St. Constantine and Helena Resort, Varna, Bulgaria. The anniversary character of the conference predetermined the creation of a special atmosphere which facilitated meaningful interaction among a wide range of participants – from highly respected internationally recognized scholars, entrepreneurs and leaders of support organizations, to young researchers and PhD students from 23 countries across four continents.

As in previous conferences, new ideas and research results were presented and discussed to contribute to better knowledge and understanding of the nature and problems related to entrepreneurship and small business.

The following keynote speakers made an important contribution to the high scientific level of the conference:

• Professor David Storey, OBE (Department of Business Management and Economics at University of Sussex, United Kingdom) with a speech on the topic: Taking the Entrepreneur out of Entrepreneurship: A Chance-based Theory of Entrepreneurship.
• Professor David Smallbone (Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University, London, United Kingdom, Past President of the Inter-national Council for Small Business (ICSB) with a speech on the topic: Born Globals and Their Value Chains.
• Professor Roy Thurik, Emeritus professor (Montpellier Business School, France, Emeritus professor, Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Emeritus professor, Free University Amsterdam, Director and Chair, CASBEC (Centre for Advanced Small Business Economics), Erasmus University Rotterdam, Editor, Small Business Economics: an Entrepreneurship Journal) with a speech on the topic: The Quest for the Entrepreneurial Gene Continues.
• Professor Andrew Burke (Dean & Chair of Business Studies, Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Ire-land, Founding Editor of the International Review of Entrepreneurship (IRE) with a speech on the topic: What Government and Managers Need to Know about High Skilled Flexible Work in the Project-based and Gig Economies.
• Professor Rodrigo Varela (Director, Centro de Desarrollo del Espíritu Empresarial (Center for Entrepreneurship Development), Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia) with a speech on the topic: Entrepreneurial Activity in Latin America and the Caribbean Region.
• Mrs. Madi Sharma (Founder "Madi Group" – Make A Difference Ideas group of International Private and Social Enterprises. UK Member, Employers Group, European Economic and Social Committee) with a speech on the topic: Women – Largest Disruptive Force in Business.
• Professor Herbert Chan (COO, Tsinghua University Science Park (TusPark), Board Member, UNESCO Regional Center for Technology Incubators and Science Parks Development (IRIS), Director of China Office, Board member, President of Asian Pacific Division, International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) with a speech on the topic: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Eco-System in China.

The keynote speeches, albeit different in nature – from introducing new ideas in the theory of entrepreneurship to presenting the results of recent research, were received with great interest and provoked long discussions..

Two papers were awarded as best at this conference – ‘The Effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Family SMEs’ Performance: The Moderating Role of Leverage and Ownership’ by Floreani, Mason and Minoja and ‘From Shark Tanks to Incubator Pitch Days: Effectiveness of Experts’ Predictions of Short-Term and Long-Term Startup survival’ by Englis, Heuven, Englis, Groen and Zalewska-Kurek.

Some of the papers presented at the conference were aimed at journal publication. Other authors preferred to develop further their papers before being published. That is why only a subset of the papers presented is published in this volume.

The papers included in this proceedings are grouped into three sections:

• Factors of Entrepreneurial Success

•  Entrepreneurship Education and Learning

•  Entrepreneurship Policy and Support

In the first months of 2020, as this Proceedings book was preparing for print, we also faced a global challenge that has no precedent in modern world history – the pandemic caused by Covid-19. Facing this challenge and the unpredictable effects on social and economic development in the foreseeable future calls into question the timing of the next 11th BAMDE International Conference.

Of course, ten successful conferences are reason enough not to be stopped from such a challenge and to plan the next conference for when the situation normalizes, and travel and new meetings opportunities are restored!

The Table of Contents

Factors of Entrepreneurial Success

From Shark Tanks to Incubator Pitch Days: Effectiveness of Experts’ Predictions of Short-Term and Long-Term Startup Survival
Paula Englis, Joris Heuven, Basil Englis, Aard Groen and Kasia Zalewska-Kurek

Firm Performance, Guarantees and SMEs Credit Access    
Federico Beltrame, Giorgio Stefano Bertinetti and Luca Grassetti

The Quest for the Underlying Variables and the Links between Women Entrepreneurs’ Happiness, Digital Entrepreneurship, Digital Collaboration, and Business Performance
Ria Aerts

Entrepreneurship Education and Learning

The Future of Education and Research: Teaching Entrepreneurs, or Shaping Them?
Mark W. Pruett, Harun Şeşen, J. R. Pandian and Gregory Winter 

Towards a Framework for Evaluation of Organisational Learning in European SMEs
Tim Gittins 

The Role of Entrepreneurial Education for Economic Growth in Ghana: A Case Study of Some Selected Universities
Boahene Ebenezer Annoh 

The Entrepreneurial Culture of the Future Teacher: Theoretical Approaches to the Definition of the Concept
Unzeilya Khassenova 

Entrepreneurship Policy and Support

Objectives and Instruments of Regional Entrepreneurship Support Policies within the EU Framework
Jan Degadt 

How to Increase the Number of SMEs Exporters in Less Technology Developed Economy
Zhelyu Vladimirov 

Social Entrepreneurship and Neighbouring Concepts: From Theory to Practices. Case of Morocco
Salma Idrissi Boutaybi and Meryem Kabbaj

Note: Those who are interested to obtain the proceedings book, please contact the organisers.