Call for Papers (CfP’s): Clusters and Creative Entrepreneurs

Call for Papers (CfP’s): Clusters and Creative Entrepreneurs

Invitation to EGOS 2008 Sub-theme 48 ‘A Knowledge Perspective on Emerging Clusters and the Role of Creative Entrepreneurs’

On behalf of the European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS), we would like to invite you to attend the sub-theme ‘A Knowledge Perspective on Emerging Clusters and the Role of Creative Entrepreneurs’, which is part of 24^th EGOS Colloquium: Upsetting Organizations. This Egos sub-theme is convened by Tom Elfring (VU University), Marleen Huysman (VU University), Mette Monsted (

Copenhagen

Business

School

), and Robin Teigland (Stockholm School of Economics). 

   

Recently, regions such as Toronto,

Montreal

, Edmonton,

Munich

, and

Amsterdam

have experienced the emergence of new knowledge-intensive clusters based on innovative combinations of knowledge. These clusters are characterized by a high level of heterogeneity, consisting of firms and individuals from a variety of different industries and professions, e.g. advertisement, web design, software development, multimedia, etc. Although primarily based on anecdotal observations, researchers have observed that the emergence of these new clusters results largely due to the involvement of local creative entrepreneurs (Ruef, 2002).

   To date, however, the literature focusing on creative entrepreneurship in relation to clusters is limited. Within the cluster literature, we find an increasing focus on the social capital of the regional network in which strong ties make it easy to connect, share experiences, and field new firms and projects (Cooke, 2002). Lately, research on clusters as social networks has begun to focus on communities, investigating how tacit knowledge is shared and generated among socially embedded community members within a cluster. However, this focus on the community as the unit of analysis as well as on the role of the creative entrepreneur within clusters is still in its initial stages of development. To advance the state of research on these topics, there are several areas that require attention: Power and Conflict; the Learning Perspective; Knowledge Brokers and Integrators; and Social Network Analysis for Data Collection.

In summary, we call for original empirical and conceptual research that investigates clusters from a knowledge perspective, and in particular creative clusters and the role of the creative entrepreneur. Coherent with the conference's theme, we invite contributions that focus on the possible upsetting consequences of connecting heterogeneous practices, knowledge fields, resources, and routines in emerging clusters. Relevant research topics related to clusters for this sub-theme can be found at: http://www.egosnet.org/conferences/collo24/sub_48.shtml.

               

For further information on the content of this sub-theme, please check the EGOS Colloquium website (http://www.egosnet.org/).