Prelims

Half Title Page

Entrepreneurship Development in the Balkans

Series Page

Lab for Entrepreneurship and Development

Series Editors: Bruno S. Sergi and Cole C. Scanlon

• Lab for Entrepreneurship and Development is Emerald’s innovative book series on the study of entrepreneurship and development, striving to set the agenda for advancing research on entrepreneurship in the context of finance, economic development, innovation, and the society at large.

• The Lab for Entrepreneurship and Development, a now-independent research lab that first started at the Institute of Quantitative Social Sciences at Harvard University, with the overarching and ambitious aim of using the book series as to synthesize interdisciplinary research by academics and students to advance our understanding of modern entrepreneurship and development across cultural and disciplinary boundaries.

Previous volumes:

• Entrepreneurship and Development in the 21st Century – Edited by Bruno S. Sergi and Cole C. Scalon

• Entrepreneurship for Social Change – Edited by Bruno S. Sergi, Cole C. Scalon and Luke R. I. Heine

Title Page

Entrepreneurship Development in the Balkans: Perspective from Diverse Contexts

Edited by

Veland Ramadani

South-East European University, North Macedonia

Sasho Kjosev

Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, North Macedonia

And

Bruno S. Sergi

Harvard University, USA

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL.

First edition 2023

Editorial matter and selection © 2023 Veland Ramadani, Sasho Kjosev and Bruno S. Sergi.

Individual chapters © 2023 The authors.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83753-455-5 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83753-454-8 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83753-456-2 (Epub)

Dedication Page

To professor Domigo Ribeiro-Soriano, for his outstanding support in making my research gain meaning and purpose and reaching a global audience.

Veland Ramadani

To my parents, Divna and Aleksandar, for their invaluable sacrifices; and to my son Vojdan and my wife Nina, for their continuous support.

Sasho Kjosev

To my brother Enzo and my sisters Nunziatella and Fiorenza.

Bruno S. Sergi

Contents

About the Editors

Veland Ramadani is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Business at the Faculty of Business and Economics, South-East European University, Tetovo, North Macedonia. His research interests include entrepreneurship, small business management, and family businesses. He authored or co-authored around 180 research articles and book chapters, 12 textbooks, and 25 edited books. He has published in Journal of Business Research; Technological Forecasting and Social Change; Review of Managerial Science; Business Ethics, the Environment and Responsibility; International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research; International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, among others. In 2021, in a study conducted by Stanford University (USA), he was ranked among the Top 2% of the most influential scientists in the world.

Sasho Kjosev is a Professor at the Faculty of Economics at the University, Ss. Cyril and Methodius, in Skopje and the President of the Association for Regional Development “Balkan Economic Forum.” He holds a PhD in Development Economics and a Graduate Diploma Program in Development Planning Techniques from the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His professional interests include macroeconomic (development) planning, development planning techniques, national accounting, sustainable development, regional and local economic development, economics of innovation, labor economics, and agricultural policy.

Bruno S. Sergi is an Instructor on the Economics of Emerging Markets at Harvard University and an Associate of the Harvard’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. He co-directs the Lab for Entrepreneurship and Development (LEAD). He also teaches Political Economy and International Finance at the University of Messina. He is the Series Editor of Cambridge Elements in the Economics of Emerging Markets (Cambridge University Press), as well as the Editor for Entrepreneurship and Global Economic Growth and a co-Series Editor of Lab for Entrepreneurship and Development (Emerald Publishing). He has published in Business Strategy and the Environment, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Economic Modelling, Energy, Energy Research & Social Science, Finance Research Letters, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Economics & Business, Journal of Intellectual Capital, Management Decision, Resources Policy, among others. He has published numerous books as well.

About the Contributors

Hyrije Abazi-Alili is an Associate Professor at South-East European University, Republic of North Macedonia. She holds a PhD in Economics from Staffordshire University, UK. She teaches undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral courses in Economics and Econometrics. She was Affiliate Fellow at CERGE-EI, Prague for the period 2014–2020. Her research interests include economics of innovation, ICT, entrepreneurship, labor market, gender, social issues, etc., with advanced application of econometrical models. She authored dozen research articles in highly ranked journals, several international conferences, and book chapters (international publisher). She was also engaged as a Senior Expert in several international projects: EU Projects, IPA, UNDP, RRPP, etc.

Selajdin Abduli is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics at South-East European University, Republic of North Macedonia, where he teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the field of Economics and Management. He served as a Pro-dean for post-graduate studies from 2012 to 2015. His research interests include human resources management, labor market, family business, and entrepreneurship. He authored and co-authored many research articles in different peer and refereed journals.

Abdul Wahab Aidoo is an Assistant Professor of Management at the Faculty of Business Administration at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS), Bosnia & Herzegovina (B&H). He obtained his undergraduate degree in Economics from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He also completed his MBA from Istanbul Commerce University in Istanbul-Turkey followed by his PhD in Innovation Management from IUS in B&H. He has years of experience in the corporate industry before ending up in Academia. He has co-authored articles in internationally recognized journals such as Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Economic Review: Journal of Economics and Business, and Heritage and Sustainable Development. His research interest is in the fields of innovation management, marketing, entrepreneurship, and consumer behavior.

Fernando Angulo-Ruiz is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Business, Marketing, Strategy & Law, at MacEwan University (Canada). He studies entrepreneurs and hybrid organizations, marketing capabilities, and marketing of higher education institutions. His research has been published in high-impact international academic journals. He is involved in various international research projects that have received financial support from several organizations, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is an Editorial Review Board Member of the Journal of Business Research and reviews for many other highly regarded international journals.

Boštjan Antončič is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana. His areas of expertise include corporate entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial networks, entrepreneurial personality, and international entrepreneurship. He has written several books – more than 10 in the area of entrepreneurship alone, as well as several business research articles. His papers have been published in academic journals such as the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, Industrial Management & Data Systems, Technovation, Frontiers in Psychology, Transformations in Business and Economics, Journal of Business Economics and Management, and Journal of Small Business Management.

Jasna Auer Antončič is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Management, University of Primorska, where she teaches and conducts business research work. Her main research interests include employee satisfaction, the psychology of entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and business growth. She has written three books in the area of entrepreneurship, as well as several business research articles. Her articles have been published in scientific and academic journals such as Industrial Management & Data Systems, Frontiers in Psychology, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, and Journal of Enterprising Culture, Behavioral Sciences, and Management.

Mehmet Bağış received his PhD from Sakarya University Business Institute in 2018. Since 2022, he has been an Associate Professor at Sakarya University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of International Trade and Finance. His professional interests include strategic management, entrepreneurship, resource-based view, dynamic capabilities, behavioral strategy, and competitive strategy.

Nadica Jovanovska Boshkovska is an Assistant Professor at the School of Business Economics and Management, University American College Skopje. She has accumulated professional experience of 16 years as a Lecturer in the field of Marketing. She holds MSc in International Economics from Tor Vergata University, Italy, and a Professional Development Fellowship at Cornell University, USA. Her doctoral degree is focused on territorial marketing, earned at the St. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje. She has attended numerous national and international conferences, earned certificates, and published many articles in domestic and international journals and conference proceedings. She also works as Chief Project Officer for Europa RE, a Swiss reinsurance company.

Stefan Chichevaliev has a PhD in Business Administration and is a postdoctoral researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Executive Director at the Social Entrepreneurship Observatory, with more than a decade of experience in the private, public, and civil sectors. He has a solid track record of published research, analyses, and publications in social and sustainable entrepreneurship. He is a consultant for many international organizations in creating and implementing innovative and sustainable solutions with significant impact on people’s well-being. He is committed to building bridges between science and practice. He is a developer of partnerships and an advocate for social entrepreneurship and attainment of sustainable development goals.

Dragana Ćirović is a Teaching Assistant and a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro. She was hired as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Montenegro in 2017. In February–September 2019, she was engaged as a Marketing Assistant at Klikovac DOO Company. Currently, she is working at the Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro as a Teaching Assistant for several subjects in the field of marketing, management, and entrepreneurship. She is fluent in English and has a basic level of knowledge of Russian, Italian, and Spanish language. During her academic career, she has participated in several international and bilateral projects and numerous conferences. She has published a monograph and several scientific papers and some of them are indexed in high-rated databases, such as SSCI and Scopus.

Mladen Čudanov is a Full professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Serbia, where he acquired an MSc and PhD degrees. He was teaching abroad in ZHCPT (PR China), JCIT (PR China), Roma TRE University (Italy), and University of Zilina (Slovakia). Has 20+ years of consultant experience in systems with 20,000+ employees, large, medium, and small companies, on projects of job systematization, organizational structure, process, and strategy design and analysis. His main research interests are organizational design, entrepreneurship, restructuring of business systems, organizational change management, and ICT application. He has published more than 140 research papers, has 1,000+ citations, ~1/4 of it from the WoS. He also serves as the editor and reviewer in several journals.

Stojan Debarliev is a Professor at the Department of Management at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. He received his master’s degree and doctorate in the field of business management, more specifically in strategic and business planning. He has been employed at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje since 2005. Previously, he gained work experience in the business sector working in marketing and sales at Macedonian On-line and Pekabesko. His educational and research interest is in the fields of management, business planning, strategies, business models, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development. He is the author of university textbooks, as well as research papers in scientific journals and proceedings of international conferences. He has delivered lectures at summer schools, workshops, and seminars. He actively teaches first-, second-, and third-cycle studies. He is currently appointed head of the Yunus Center for Social Businesses at the Faculty of Economics-Skopje.

Jordi Diaz is the Dean and Faculty of EADA Business School and Director of the Executive Academy of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD Global). He holds an Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) program from Ecole des Ponts Business School ParisTech (France), a Master’s in Human Resources Management from EADA Business School (Spain), and professional certificates from Harvard Business School. He serves on Advisory Boards at several business schools, including Burgundy School of Business, and is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Technology-Enhanced Learning. His community service memberships include Business Fights Poverty and Excellence in Sustainability Club in Spain.

Mark Esposito is a Professor of Business and Economics and Director of the Futures Impact Lab at the Hult International Business School. He holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration from École des Ponts ParisTech and is a Resident Fellow and Professor of Economic Policy at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai. He is on the Faculty at Harvard University’s Division of Continuing Education and Institutes Council and Co-Leader, of the Microeconomics of Competitiveness Program at the Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. He is a Global Expert on the World Economic Forum, and currently, serves as Subject Matter Expert for the Prime Minister’s Office in the UAE.

Daphne Halkias is a Professor and distinguished research Fellow at École des Ponts Business School Paris Tech, a Fellow at the Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital at Harvard Medical School, a Research Affiliate at the Institute for Social Sciences, Cornell University, and a Research Associate at the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, University of California, San Diego. She is CEO of Executive Coaching Consultants and Editor of the International Journal of Teaching and Case Study, the International Journal of Technology-Enhanced Learning, and the International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She is a Member of the Academy of Management, Business Fights Poverty, American Psychological Association, and has authored/edited 14 academic books and over 100 peer-reviewed papers.

Tatiana Harkiolakis is an academic researcher and Director of Communications at Executive Coaching Consultants. She holds a Master of Science in Media and Communications from The London School of Economics and Political Science and is a PhD candidate in Media, Culture and Creative Industries at the City, University of London. She has presented her research at international media, business conferences and journals. Her research interests include journalism and social media, digital entrepreneurship, the future of work, online activism, gender equality in Greece, and alternative media. She is a Member of the International Communications Association, the Online News Association, and Business Fights Poverty.

Sadudin Ibraimi is a Professor of Management and Applied Statistics at the Faculty of Business and Economics, South-East European University, North Macedonia. His research interests include decision-making, operation management, statistics, and entrepreneurship. He authored or co-authored around 20 research articles. He has published in International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, among others. From 2019, he served as a Member of the Higher Education Accreditation Board. He conducted several trainings and projects in the Business and Innovation Center.

Nicholas Mmaduabuchi Ikpogu is a Maritime Administration and Transportation Management Professional and is an Adjunct Professor at Capstone Edge College in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He holds a PhD in Management and is a Surveyor and Auditor with the American Bureau of Shipping. His professional experience cuts across the Merchant Navy as a Deck Officer (navigation), Marine Science Technician with the United States Coast Guard Reserve, Department of Defense employee with the US Navy Military Sealift Command, and Flag State Inspector with the Liberia International Ship Corporate Register. He has worked in offshore and marine operations, ship operations, and inspections to enforce International Maritime Organization and United States Coast Guard regulations, port and waterways management, and commercial vessel international safety management and International Ship and Port Facility Security audits.

Aleksandra Janeska Iliev is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje Faculty of Economics-Skopje which is the largest state university in Macedonia. There she teaches different subjects related to entrepreneurship, small business, and organizational behavior, at the bachelor, master level, and PhD levels, which also includes mentoring candidates at various milestones of their studies. Her main research interest revolves around entrepreneurship and organizational behavior, further specializing in sustainability, social business, entrepreneurial education, and generational differences. Her participation in various national and international projects has enabled her to grow her applicative experience concerning topics she is engaged in. As a scholar, she is trying to detangle what and how education in a formal and non-formal context can stimulate flourishing grounds for entrepreneurship. She has frequently participated in conferences and events within the entrepreneurial ecosystems regionally and locally. She has published and presented in various publications journals, conference proceedings, book chapters, and co-authored books.

Ondrej Jaško is a Full Professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, where he teaches at all three levels of academic studies in the fields of organizational design, management consulting, entrepreneurship, and public sector management. He has been the Head of the Department of Business System Organization for many years. He performed the function of Vice-Dean on several occasions and was a Member of various management bodies at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences and at the University in Belgrade. He is a co-author of more than 150 scientific papers and 17 textbooks and monographs. He was a reviewer of numerous books and articles in international scientific journals. He led more than 50 consulting and development projects that were implemented for the needs of the economy and the public sector.

Tomislav Jukić is an Associate Professor at the University Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek, Croatia. He is a successful owner of a private business, as one of the most reputable businesses in Southeastern Europe. He has published numerous reputable academic journal articles and book chapters on organizational behavior – personality traits and health care management topics.

Marko Kolaković, PhD, is a Tenured Professor, Head of the Department of Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb and President of Student Business Incubator, University of Zagreb and International Institute of Entrepreneurship. He is a leader of the postgraduate study “Strategic Entrepreneurship,” a Guest Lecturer at several other postgraduate studies at the Faculties of Economics in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Johannesburg. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the World Scientific Association “Business & Economics Society International,” Worcester, MA, USA. He has published four books namely International Business in the Conditions of Globalization, Entrepreneurship in the Knowledge Economy, Virtual Economy, and Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century and a huge number of scientific and professional papers. He has presented his papers at about 40 international and domestic scientific conferences and proceedings.

Besnik A. Krasniqi is a fulbright postdoctoral scholar, who holds MA and PhD in Economics from Staffordshire University (UK). He teaches Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management, and Research Methods at the University of Prishtina in graduate and postgraduate studies. His professional career spans teaching and research in entrepreneurship at Maastricht School of Management (the Netherlands), Indiana University (USA) and University of Michigan (USA), Staffordshire University (UK), State University of Tetovo (Macedonia), and Riinvest Institute for Development Research (Kosovo). He has authored several books, numerous research reports, and consultancy assignments. His research work in the area of entrepreneurship, firm growth, institutions, SME finance, informal economy, and transition and emerging economies appeared in international journals such as Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Small Business Economics, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, and Economic Systems. He is a Member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts, Republic of Kosovo.

Jovan Krivokapić is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences in Belgrade, at the Department of Business Systems Organization. His areas of interest are Business Consulting, Organizational Design, and Event Management, and he holds the international certificate “Certified KPI Professional.” He was the Head or Member of project teams in more than 30 commercial and research projects in the field of organizational design. As an author or co-author, he published 4 books and more than 50 papers at scientific conferences and in foreign and domestic journals.

Liridon Kryeziu obtained a PhD in Business Administration at Sakarya University, Turkey. He currently teaches at University for Business and Technology-UBT/ESLG College and holds a position as a Senior Researcher at Riinvest Institute. His research interests are family firms, institutions, firm internationalization, social networks, SMEs, behavioral strategy, and strategic management.

Selma Kurtishi-Kastrati is an Associate Professor at the American University of Middle East Kuwait – currently serving as the Head of the HRM Department at the College of Business Administration. She holds a PhD in Foreign Direct Investments from South-East European University, MA in International Business from Webster University, and BA (Hons) in Business and International Management from Oxford Brookes University. She has 20 years of experience in academia, teaching different courses such as international business, business organization and management, introduction to leadership, and career planning. Her research interests include FDI, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, female entrepreneurship, and small business management.

Mehmet Nurullah Kurutkan graduated from Sakarya University, Labour Economics, and Industrial Relations, Sakarya, Turkey in 2000. He started his career in the hospital sector as an X-ray Technician, and later, worked as a Quality Management Director, and then he became a Faculty Member in a Business School at Duzce University. He is currently a Full-time Academic Member of Duzce University, Faculty of Healthcare Management (2011–present). His professional interests mainly include bibliometric analysis, entrepreneurship, professionalism, and lean healthcare. He authored 40 articles, 9 books, and 5 book chapters in Turkish and English.

Tatiana S. Manolova is a Professor of Management at Bentley University, USA. Her research interests include entrepreneurial strategy, international entrepreneurship, and management in emerging economies. She is the author of over 70 scholarly articles and book chapters, has co-authored two books, and has co-edited two compendia of research on women entrepreneurs published by Edward Elgar Publishing. She is a Senior Editor for the International Journal of Emerging Markets, and a Consulting Editor for the International Small Business Journal and the International Journal of Management Reviews.

Boban Melović is a Professor at the University of Montenegro, Head of the Department of Management and Marketing, and Member of the Scientific Board of the University of Montenegro. He teaches groups of subjects in the field of Marketing and Management. In three mandates, he performed the function of Vice-Dean (twice as Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs and once as Vice-Dean for International Cooperation). He is the author or co-author of five books, several chapters in international monographs, and a large number of scientific papers in the field of marketing, management, entrepreneurship, brand, and tourism. He owns WorldSkills Europe Expert Certificate in Entrepreneurship. He is a two-time winner of the Award of the University of Montenegro for the achieved results and special contributions in the development of scientific research work and international positioning of the university.

Ivona Mileva is an Assistant Professor at the School of Business Economics and Management, University American College Skopje. She graduated on the topic of luxury management and her doctoral dissertation is focused on the organizational behavior field, specifically on the topic of organizational culture. She has been part of the Leadership Summit Ambassador Program, organized by People to People at Harvard University, and lately, she has been awarded with a certificate in Entrepreneurship from Harvard Business School. Her academic research is focused on the area of organizational behavior, entrepreneurship, and management fields. She has attended a wide range of conferences and co-authored academic articles both, domestically and internationally.

Isa Mustafa received his MA from the University of Belgrade in Organizational Sciences and his PhD from the University of Prishtina in Economics. He was Full Professor at the University of Prishtina in courses of Microeconomics, Managerial Economics, and Financial Management, both in graduate and postgraduate studies. His main research interest includes private sector development, informal economy, fiscal policies, and financial system. He published numerous research articles, books, reports, and studies. He is full member of Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Andrei Stefan Nestian is the Head of the Management, Marketing, and Business Administration Department and Professor Habil at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iasi, Romania, at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. He lectures in management, human resource management, competency and talent management, quality management, and organizational performance. He completed the International Management Teachers Academy program organized by CEEMAN and is a Member of the Academy of Management (USA). He has 17 years of experience as a consultant and trainer, and extensive project management experience. He is co-owner of a business consultancy company since 2007, managing projects of organizational development based on attracting European non-reimbursable funding.

Ramo Palalić is an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Business Management at the College of Economics and Political Science (EQUIS accredited), Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. His research is in the area of entrepreneurship, leadership, and management. He has authored and co-authored many articles in globally recognized journals like Management Decision, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, and alike. Additionally, he has co-authored/co-edited several books and many book chapters in the field of business and entrepreneurship published with internationally prominent publishers (Springer, Routledge, and World Scientific). Moreover, he is serving as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Enterprising Communities, Co-EiC of Gestion 2000, Associate Editor of Heritage and Sustainable Development, as well as a Board Member in several well-established international journals. His research field of interest is entrepreneurship, SMEs, and family businesses.

Albena Pergelova is an Associate Professor at the School of Business, MacEwan University (Canada), where she currently holds the Board of Governors Research Chair position. Her research interests include entrepreneurship, digital technologies, and consumer well-being. Her research has appeared in a wide range of international journals across disciplines, such as the Journal of Business Ethics, Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Journal of Business Research, International Small Business Journal, Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Consumer Affairs, International Journal of Advertising, and among others. Her research has been recognized with many “best paper” awards from international conferences.

Nadezda Pop-Kostova is a PhD candidate and a Lecturer at the School of Business Economics and Management at the University American College Skopje. She holds BBA and MBA – Management degrees in Business Economics and Management. She has professional work experience in the business consulting industry as a Management Consultant. During the past 10 years, she has been part of a number of Entrepreneurial workshops and received several important acknowledgments for her contribution. Her academic research interests span in the fields of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intentions, strategic and international management, and businesses.

Mohammad Rezaur Razzak is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, and Family Business at the College of Economics & Political Science (EQUIS accredited), at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin followed by MBA from Southern Methodist University. He completed his PhD with distinction from the University of Malaya specializing in strategy and family business. He has over 35 years of experience that includes industrial and corporate positions followed by a full-time engagement in academia. At present, his research interests are in the areas of family business, digital entrepreneurship, emerging business models in the industry 4.0 era, and sustainable manufacturing and supply chain practices through digitalization.

Gadaf Rexhepi is a Professor of Strategy and Innovation at South-East European University, Republic of North Macedonia (RNM). He has published around 60 research articles in different peer and refereed journals among which are Business Strategy and the Environment, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsible and Environment Management, Review of Managerial Science, and Industrial Marketing Management. Most of his work in the past seven years has been in the field of CSR and sustainability. Starting in 2020, he is a Member of the Council of the National Bank of RNM for a seven-year term. He received the Award for Excellence 2016 – Outstanding Paper by Emerald Group Publishing (Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy).

Goran Riđić is an Associate Professor of International Business and Management and the University of Applied Management Studies (HDWM) in Mannheim, Germany. He also teaches a Strategic Management course at the prestigious Frankfurt Finance School. He has earned his Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Economics and minoring in German at Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, USA, his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Connecticut Graduate School of Business Administration in Storrs and Stamford, Connecticut, and his doctorate degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He has published numerous publications in the areas of management, organizational behavior, and personality traits including the prestigious, Science Citation Index (SCImago) Q1-ranked Journal of Personality titled “Country-Level Correlates of Dark Triad in 49 Countries.” At the present time, he has 431 Google Scholar citations and business experience in top world corporations such as United Technologies – Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, ING, and Hartford Insurance Inc.

Ognjen Riđić is an Associate Professor of Management at the College of Economics and Political Science, International University of Sarajevo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. His research focuses on management, organizational behavior, personal financial management, health care management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles in internationally recognized journals, such as Psychological Assessment (the Official Journal of the American Psychological Association (APA)), Assessment-SAGE Journals, Current Psychology, International Journal of Human Resources Development, Croatian Operational Research Review, Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences, and Dynamic Relationships Management Journal and Economic Review. Additionally, he has co-authored one book and several book chapters in the field of business and entrepreneurship published with internationally prominent publishers (Springer Nature, World Scientific, etc.). Moreover, he is serving as the Reviewer of Emerald Journal of Enterprising Communities, Heritage and Sustainable Development, Economic Review, and EdTech Journal, in addition to being an Editorial Board Member of Inquiry: Sarajevo Journal of Social Sciences.

Justina Shiroka-Pula received his MA from the Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb and PhD in Economics from the University of Prishtina. She was Full Professor at the University of Prishtina and taught courses of Operation Management, Operation Research, Small Business Management, and Managerial Decision-making in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Her research interests include SME management, informal economy, operations research, and decision-making. She published numerous research articles, books, reports, and studies. She is full member and Vice President of Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Marsela Thanasi-Boçe is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the American University of the Middle East, College of Business. She teaches different marketing courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, such as principles of marketing management, international marketing management, retail and merchandising, new product development, and new ventures and product design. She has published several research articles in leading marketing journals. Her research interest is focused on customer relationship management, brand management, consumer behavior, retail, social media marketing, entrepreneurship education, and corporate social responsibility.

Ivan Todorović works at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. His field of expertise includes organizational design, restructuring, management consulting, business model development, and entrepreneurship. He has participated in more than 30 consulting projects in the largest companies in Serbia and in numerous research projects financed by the Republic of Serbia or international institutions like EBRD, UNIDO, and USAID. He is a co-author of more than 70 articles in international monographs, journals, and conference proceedings, and he is hired as a reviewer in several international scientific journals and conferences. He was a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, in Slovenia. As a mentor, he has supported several start-up companies and coached student teams for international case study competitions.

Ivan Turćić is a Postdoctoral Researcher and Senior Assistant at the Department of Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), University of Zagreb and Vice President of International Institute of Entrepreneurship. He obtained his PhD degree in 2022 with summa cum laude at FEB. Since 2016, he has been employed at FEB, as an Assistant and Senior Assistant/Postdoctoral Researcher. He is the (co)author of over 10 papers published in scientific journals and conference proceedings, is a member of the Organizing Committee of Business and Entrepreneurial Economics Conference and is Co-editor of BEE Conference Proceedings. He took several training courses and workshops in quantitative methods and teaching competencies. His main areas of research interest include social entrepreneurship, digital entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship education, SME finance, generation Z and entrepreneurship, and innovative business models.

Mladen Turuk, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), University of Zagreb. He received additional education at the University of Ljubljana and the University of Hong Kong, studying qualitative and quantitative methods of scientific research. Since 2011, he has been employed at the FEB, as a Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Assistant Professor. As a Guest Lecturer, he has been engaged at Macquarie University in Sydney, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, University of Ljubljana, and Montpellier Business School and he is a Visiting Researcher at the University of Johannesburg. He is the Secretary of the specialist postgraduate study “Strategic Entrepreneurship.” He has published over 20 scientific and professional papers. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Contemporary Business and Entrepreneurship and the President of the Entrepreneurship Club.

Ana Iolanda Voda is a Lecturer at the Department of Management, Marketing, and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania. Her research interests include entrepreneurship, social inclusion, and smart cities. She attended over 50 conferences worldwide (e.g., Portugal, Spain, and the Czech Republic), published over 30 papers indexed in the WOS, and over 10 books/book chapters. She has been a Principal Investigator/Member of the project team of 16 national and international projects/grants (e.g., “Research & Innovation for Cities & Citizens – RI4C2” project, EC2U Alliance, Horizon 2020 “Science with & for Society” SwafS call for European Universities (2021–2024); Principal Investigator, ERASMUS+ Program Jean Monnet Activities 2019 Call, European Smart Cities for Sustainable Development (SmartEU) (620415-EPP-1-2020-1-RO-EPPJMO-MODULE (2020–2023). She is also a Romanian representative in 2 COST Projects (e.g., CA 18115 (TRIBES) – 2019–2023; and CA 20115 (ENIS-2021–2025).

Desislava I. Yordanova is a Professor at the Department of Business Administration of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” Her research interests include entrepreneurship, small business management, and family business management and succession. She has published articles in various international journals including International Small Business Journal; Journal of Small Business Management; Journal of International Management; Sustainability; International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research; Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship; Service Business; World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management, and Sustainable Development; and International Journal of Business and Globalisation.

Rasim Zuferi is engaged as a Lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Economics at South-East European University, Republic of North Macedonia. He has taught Accounting and Marketing courses in undergraduate and postgraduate courses. He has been teaching for more than 20 years at the undergraduate and graduate levels at South-East European University in Tetovo, Macedonia, and in other institutions. His research interests include promotion, consumer behavior, marketing research, and entrepreneurial marketing. He has published several research articles in different peer and refereed journals.

Foreword

My mother grew up in Egypt, where – at the time – it was the dream of many girls to marry King Farouk, a highly respected leader whose origins were Balkan. Eventually, she married my father, and she got to meet Farouk, who happened to be a friend of his. Not surprisingly, I grew up constantly reminded that the Balkan people are among the kindest in the world, the most trustworthy, and the warmest friends one could imagine.

Hence, I have insufficient words to describe my delight in writing the Foreword of this important book about wonderful people from an area that has throughout history been of great importance. It is assembled by dedicated editors bringing together a variety of authors who specialize in different topics, and the volume is worth much more than the sum of its parts.

The Balkans was the area where the Austro-Hungarian Empire met the mighty Ottoman Empire. This in itself is exciting for me, being the nephew of my mother’s brother – whose documents stated the Ottoman Empire as his country of birth. More importantly, the meeting of empires enriched this area with the cross-fertilization of ideas and a unique blend of worldly architectures.

I first visited the Balkans during the 1970s. The Soviet Union had considerable influence over the Warsaw Pact countries at the time. Meanwhile, in what was then Yugoslavia, Tito had much power. Entrepreneurship was obviously not the flavor of the day. Of course, Greece and Turkey had many small firms, but entrepreneurship development was not yet a priority.

In 1982, in Bulgaria, I learned that merely speaking about entrepreneurship could lead to trouble. Later that decade I spent much time in the Yugoslav republics.

As the Berlin Wall fell, the world changed, and I was invited to teach in 1995 at the Academy of Economic Sciences in Romania. The following year I spent much time in Albania, writing an article that appeared in the Journal of Small Business Management. My love for the Balkans and its people increased and I authored a book as well as several articles about the transition in the region. Now I am happy to see this present volume and I commend the editors for their genius in putting it together.

Léo-Paul Dana

Professor, Dalhousie University, Canada & ICD Business School, France

Visiting Professor, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland

Honorary Professor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India