This track explores how to better transform healthcare systems through innovation and entrepreneurship. It invites healthcare and management researchers to share the latest theoretical insights at the intersection of healthcare, management and business and in respect of the best practices in healthcare transformations taking place globally. Research on healthcare transformation and innovation, and in new contexts, is critical to understand how transformation is managed and innovations emerge such that they can be embedded and scaled for better health outcomes. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a worthy host for this conference track as it is undergoing an overhaul of the health system, raising many challenges and opportunities for research, policy, and practice.

The national Saudi Vision 2030 identifies health as a particular pillar of development, coinciding with the United Nations global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. Many of the challenges faced by the healthcare sector in the Kingdom, the world’s 17th largest economy, are similar to those seen in major economies. These include escalating public and out-of-pocket expenditures, restructuring the public sector from cost-bearing to revenue-generating, and public health management for millions of international tourists. Beyond systems and closer to outcomes for society, mental health and wellbeing are also of increased importance throughout the world and a recognised goal of Vision 2030 for the Kingdom (HSTP, 2021). In the interest of global cooperation, this track seeks to foster evidence-based discussions that lead to collaboration among global and local experts as well as interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral stakeholders to generate knowledge for practical impact.

In general, submissions should consider the social, organizational, and technological aspects of healthcare, as healthcare transformation through innovation is a complex process that requires understanding at multiple levels of analysis (Bhatti et al., 2024). In particular, we invite papers on, but not limited to, achieving effective and sustainable financial resource management; providing integrated, people-centered healthcare; employing digital and virtual health tools and artificial intelligence; and investing in private sector integration to create effective strategic partnerships (HSTP, 2021). Another critical driver of innovation in healthcare to explore is performance measurement and management (Vainieri et al., 2021). Indeed, industry stakeholders can revise and innovate processes and services thanks to monitoring the times, outputs, and outcomes of healthcare processes and services. The need for such measurement actions is also stressed by the rise of the value-based healthcare paradigm and digital technologies (Paiola et al., 2023). This track also invites medical practitioners (surgeons, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, etc) to present their latest practice-based insights and case studies on managing transformation and fostering innovations that can be effectively embedded and scaled to enhance health outcomes. The focus extends to the clinical dimension, exploring how medical advancements, new disease management strategies, and patient-centered care models can revolutionize healthcare delivery (Hajjar & Alagoz, 2023). Research on healthcare transformation in new contexts is critical to understanding how innovations emerge, are managed, and ultimately improve clinical outcomes.

The following are examples of research questions of relevance to this call. Submitters are encouraged to be bold and ambitious in their proposals.

Examples of questions of interest to the track:

1. How can leadership processes in health systems be optimized to foster innovation and drive change for both organizations and for human well-being?

2. How can leadership remain on top of the challenging and rapidly changing healthcare environment, both locally and globally?

3. What is the role of decision-making in that health service providers have different incentives than patients, and that health regulation aims to align incentives?

4. What impact are telehealth, digital health, and artificial intelligence having on healthcare transformation, and what are enabling factors for improved outcomes?

5. How can healthcare systems integrate new digital health technologies offered by the private sector with reimbursement policies to promote adoption and sustainability of these technologies?

6. How might Health Technology Assessment evolve in the face of healthcare transformation as it impacts on coverage, price, and use?

7. When might the directionality of healthcare knowledge change from inflows to outflows from emerging market countries?

8. How can frugal innovations in healthcare promote sustainability in transforming healthcare systems such as that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?

9. What is the effect of performance measurement systems on spurring or limiting the emergence of innovations?

10. How can synergies be created between clinical and managerial activities and stakeholders such that ultimately patients benefit?

References:

Bhatti, Y., Dopson, S., Farchi, T., & Harris, M. 2024 (Forthcoming). The Oxford Handbook of Health Care Innovation. Oxford University Press.

HSTP. 2021. Health Sector Transformation Program Delivery Plan. Vision 2030 Office, Saudi Arabia. Available at: https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/media/0wop2tds/hstp_eng.pdf

Hajjar, A. and Alagoz, O., 2023. Personalized disease screening decisions considering a chronic condition. Management Science, 69(1), pp.260-282.

Paiola, M., Khvatova, T., Schiavone, F., & Ferraris, A. 2023. How do omnichannel strategies contribute to value-based healthcare? An orchestra-based analysis. Journal of Business Research, 167, 114175.

Vainieri, M., Noto, G., Ferre, F., & Rosella, L. C. (2020). A performance management system in healthcare for all seasons? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5590.

Track chairs:

Ali Hajjar, Assistant Professor of Management Science, MBS College of Business and Entrepreneurship (Saudi Arabia). Link: https://www.mbsc.edu.sa/mbsc-faculty/dr-ali-hajjar-ph-d/

Francesco Schiavone, Professor of Innovation Management, Department of Management and Quantitative Studies at the University Parthenope of Naples, Italy. Link: https://sites.google.com/view/franzschiavone

Yasser Bhatti, Associate Professor of Innovation and Strategy, MBS College of Business and Entrepreneurship (Saudi Arabia). Link: https://www.dryasserbhatti.com/

Bios:

Dr. Ali Hajjar brings a wealth of experience, having earned his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His impressive background includes notable contributions at Harvard Medical School (Research Fellow) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute for Technology Assessment (ITA), where his work garnered recognition with the "Best of The Liver Meeting" Award in 2021. His current research focuses on healthcare applications at the population and patient levels. He has substantive research experience in various diseases and collaborated with several medical practitioners to solve complex healthcare engineering problems, including the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET), whose studies received major media attention from Time, NBC, The New York Times, CNN, ABC News, Los Angeles Times, CBS, and others. His research works have been published in various prestigious academic journals including Management Science, Health Care Management Science, Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology, Cancer Medicine, etc.

Dr. Francesco Schiavone earned his doctorate in “Network Economics and Knowledge Management” at Foundation SSAV (Ca' Foscari University), Venice (Italy). He is currently the scientific director of VIMASS (https://disaq.uniparthenope.it/vimass/), the research lab in healthcare innovation and management at University of Naples Parthenope. His research works have been published in various prestigious academic journals including IEEE-Transactions of Engineering Management, Production, Planning & Control, Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, Business Process Management Journal, Management Decision, Journal of Knowledge Management, Journal of Intellectual Capital, Journal of Technology Transfer, Journal of Organizational Change Management, European Journal of Innovation Management, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, BMC Health Service Research, etc.

Dr. Yasser Bhatti’s expertise lies in innovation and entrepreneurship, having earned his PhD in Innovation and an MSc in Entrepreneurship from the University of Oxford's Said Business School. His research focuses on emerging models of innovation and strategies promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, merging concepts of frugal, social, and reverse innovations with strategy frameworks. For impact of scholarly work, he also works at the intersection of management and health, relying on mixed methods research. He served on the scientific advisory board of the European Commission Project on Frugal Innovation. He was also invited to Google Headquarters in New York City to present to Chief Innovation Officers of healthcare organizations on how to scale frugal innovations. His book ‘Frugal Innovation: Models, Means, Methods’, published by Cambridge University Press, was nominated for best book award at the Academy of Management annual meeting 2020. His research works have been published in various prestigious academic journals including British Medical Journal, Health Affairs, Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Harvard Business Review, TFSC, etc.

📣 Call for Case Studies in partnership with the MBSC Case Center & Ivey Publishing

Case studies are powerful pedagogical tools that bring real world situations into the classroom, enabling students to connect theory with practice. With a vibrant business landscape, the MENA region offers immense potential for business and management research. However, there is a huge gap with respect to case studies in this area. This track invites submissions of Teaching Cases as well as Case Ideas, related to entrepreneurship, family business and sustainable innovation, with a focus on the Middle East and North African (MENA) Region. Cases must be mapped to any domain relevant to a business school or management education. Cases must be original and unpublished, based on real businesses and protagonists (fictional cases will not be accepted). Cases can be developed using either primary or secondary sources.

All cases must have well-defined Teaching Objectives, a protagonist and points/issues for discussion. Cases presented will receive feedback from the panel, to help participants improve their case submissions and to make it publication-ready.

The MBSC Case Center

With a mission to develop teaching cases based on Saudi Arabia, the MBSC Case Center is the first Case Center in the Kingdom and is home to a unique collection of cases on businesses, entrepreneurship and the business ecosystem in Saudi Arabia https://casecenter.mbsc.edu.sa/. The Center operates with an aim to establish itself as a pivotal hub for knowledge creation and to contribute significantly to regional thought leadership in the fields of business and entrepreneurship.

Ivey Publishing

A leader in providing business case studies with a global perspective, Ivey Publishing offers more than 40,000 cases and educational materials from leading case publishers worldwide. As a partner in the Case Studies track, Ivey Publishing would be offering a workshop on The Art of Case Writing.

The Art of Case Writing

This session will guide participants through the three-phase writing process for case study development. Topics include crafting impactful openings, developing storylines, creating comprehensive case outlines, and structuring effective teaching notes. Submission guidelines for different case types will be covered, followed by a Q&A and discussion. The session encourages applying the three-phase process, recaps key points, and will provide information on additional case development resources.
Share your innovative pedagogical approach at the IERC 2025 conference! We invite you to submit case studies ! For these submissions, we request extended abstracts of up to 3 pages, single-spaced, with a maximum of 1,500 words.

Please include the following elements in your submission:
- Description of your pedagogical approach
- Expected learning goals and outcomes
- Strategies for engaging students in the classroom
- Methods for enhancing entrepreneurship education

Additional Info:
- case studies should be written in English only
- possible publication with our partner Ivey Publishing
- Best Case Study Award

REMINDER: Previously submitted case studies are automatically considered for the special track on case studies.

Track chairs:

Doris John, MBSC Case Center Manager, MBSC, KSA

Candis McInnes, Executive Director, Ivey Publishing, Canada

Violetta Gallagher, Associate Director, Product & Publishing, Ivey Publishing, Canada

Bios:

Doris John, MBSC Case Center Manager, MBSC

Doris John, case center Manager at MBSC, has specialized in developing case studies as pedagogical tools for management education. She has published more than 300 Case Studies and Teaching Notes on the Case Centre, UK, with leading international B-Schools and publishing and consulting houses buying them regularly for their use. She has publications in Refereed Journals, Magazines and Professional Reference Books and compiled 9 volumes of Case Study Collection on various subject domains. She has won prizes at International Case competitions. Among them is a prize at the Global Contest for “Best China-Focused Cases” conducted by China Europe International Business School. Her case study on Social Entrepreneurship won a prize at the oikos case writing competition. She was also the first runner- up in the IIMB-Tata Steel Prize for the best cases on Corporate Social Responsibility and a winner of the Case Study Initiative conducted by the Aditya Birla India Centre of the London Business School. The latest in the list is a prize at the John Molson MBA International Case Writing Competition 2022. She is a management graduate from BIM, India, and has both industry and academic experience.

Candis McInnes
Executive Director, Ivey Publishing

Candis McInnes, Executive Director at Ivey Publishing within the Ivey School of Business, leverages over twenty-five years of experience in sales, customer experience, market research, and brand management. Guiding a dynamic team, she spearheads publishing, product development, marketing, and customer support while nurturing global collaborations with faculty and authors worldwide. Candis passionately advocates for the case method's influence on learning outcomes and champions experiential learning.

Beyond her role, Candis mentors at Women in Communications and Technology Mentor Circles and serves on the board at Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services, showcasing her commitment to guiding future leaders and supporting community welfare. Her commitment to progress and influential leadership extends from academia to broader societal engagement.

Violetta Gallagher
Associate Director, Product & Publishing, Ivey Publishing

Violetta Gallagher is the Associate Director of Product & Publishing at Ivey Publishing, based in London, Canada. With over two decades of customer service experience and a proven track record in team leadership, she currently leads a high-performing team in developing and executing innovative strategies to drive revenue and growth across Ivey products. She also plays a pivotal role in shaping day-to-day processes, ensuring high-quality product delivery, and maintaining Ivey Publishing's reputation as a leader in case publishing. Violetta is known for her keen focus on product operations management, building relationships with authors and partners, and fostering initiatives and innovation.

In her personal time, Violetta explores her creative side building LEGO with her family and pursuing artistic projects, reflecting her academic background in arts. She also embraces an active lifestyle, regularly skiing with her children and enjoying outdoor adventures.

🚀 SpecialTrack : Exploring Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the 1st International Conference on Entrepreneurship, Family Business & Sustainable Innovation IERC2025 !

Over the past two decades, the ecosystem research discussion has extensively been proliferating. According to Theodoraki (2024), the ecosystem discussion has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the entrepreneurship field and open to a new era of research including inclusivity, sustainability and place actractiveness. Despite consensus on the significance of these ecosystems, there is still limited understanding of the dynamics and processes that nurture entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in complex spatial contexts. This gap invites a multi-level, multi-stakeholder exploration, including industry-led ecosystems, governance, and comparative studies across regions. Traditionally, entrepreneurship has been examined from the entrepreneur's perspective, but a contemporary view emphasizes the broader ecosystem, which includes the interactions between organizations and their environments. However, previous research often lacks a holistic perspective on these ecosystems' complex dynamics. This track therefore, aims to illuminate the state of this emerging Framework and open a new era of ecosystem research discussion through the BEES framework (Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Sustainably)s. The BEES Framework seeks to advance the theoretical understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystems, grasp their strategic complexities, and support their application in various contexts, ultimately fostering a new scientific approach centered on the ecosystem perspective.

This special track will offer an exceptional platform for researchers and practitioners to:
🌟 Share work on the development, structure, and impact of entrepreneurial ecosystems.
🌟 Engage in in-depth discussions on the challenges and opportunities within various entrepreneurial ecosystems.
🌟 Explore strategies to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of these ecosystems globally.
Join us for this unique opportunity to contribute to the evolving discourse on entrepreneurial ecosystems and network with fellow experts and thought leaders in the field.

Track chairs:

Professor David Audretsch, Indiana University, USA

Professor Christina Theodoraki, IAE Aix Marseille Graduate School of Management, France

Bios:

Professor David Audretsch, Indiana University, USA

David is a Distinguished Professor and the Ameritech Chair of Economic Development at Indiana University, where he also serves as director of the Institute for Development Strategies. Audretsch’s research has focused on the links between entrepreneurship, government policy, innovation, economic development, and global competitiveness. He is the co-author of The Seven Secrets of Germany, published by Oxford University Press. He is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Small Business Economics: An Entrepreneurship Journal.

Professor Christina Theodoraki, IAE Aix Marseille Graduate School of Management, France France

Christina Theodoraki is Full Professor (HDR) in entrepreneurship and strategic management IAE Aix-Marseille Graduate School of Management, Aix-Marseille University, CERGAM, affiliate professor at the International University of Monaco, Advisory Board Member at the Institute for Development Strategies at the University of Indiana and Business Development Manager at the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Research Network. Her thesis was publicly defended on November 28, 2017 at the Univerity of Montpellier, and it was funded by the Labex Entreprendre. She also leaded the Babson Collaborative Research Group on Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. She defended her HDR (Habilitation to Supervise Research, which is the highest academic qualification that a person can receive and corresponds to the highest level of French diploma) on September 4th, 2023 at IAE Paris Pantheon Sorbonne, entitled Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Sustainably (BEES). She is senior editor for several journals and her research has been published in journals such as Small Business Economics, Journal of Business Research, European Management Review, R&D Management, M@n@gement, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, The Journal of Technology Transfer, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Revue de l’Entrepreneuriat, Revue Internationale PME, etc. Her research, contribution and commitment to the scientific society received international recognition.

This track, hosted by the MBSC Family Business Institute, KPMG KSA and the National Centre for Family Business NCFB, explores the key challenges associated with family entrepreneurship and the distinctive aspects associated with the ownership, management and governance of the most ubiquitous form of business ventures in any world economy, namely family businesses. Indeed, families are the most prevalent type of business owners. But succeeding and prospering across generations is tricky, and only a few continue to thrive and be entrepreneurial. In fact, an entrepreneurial family’s willingness and its ability (De Massis et al., 2014) exert important influences on the goals, governance, and resources of family firms and other organizations established by such family, giving rise to distinctive behaviors.

Consistent with the national Saudi Vision 2030, supporting the development of top-notch knowledge aimed to enhance the transgenerational prosperity of entrepreneurial families is crucially important for the social and economic development of Saudi Arabia. In particular, we invite papers on, but not limited to, any aspects associated with the intergenerational challenges of entrepreneurial families, which means considering family businesses and family offices, but also other possible organizations in the “entrepreneurial family galaxy” (De Massis & Rondi, 2024) through which an entrepreneurial family creates and preserves value across generations, such as family foundations, family museums, family holdings, family academies, family trust companies, family incubators, family libraries, or family real estate companies, just to mention a few. This track invites both academic experts and practitioners, such as family leaders as well as family firm and family office professionals, to present their latest research findings or practice-based insights and case studies about different aspects characterizing the evolution of entrepreneurial families, such as innovation (e.g., Villani et al., 2023), internationalization (e.g., Debellis et al., 2024), resilience (e.g., Smith et al., 2023), business restructuring (e.g., King et al., 2022), use of history and tradition (e.g., Ge et al., 2022), conflict management and board dynamics (e.g., Bettinelli et al., 2023), temporal tensions and succession (e.g., Sasaki et al., 2024), and the strategic development of an entrepreneurial family firm (Rondi et al., 2024).

Participants in this track will have the opportunity to:
1️⃣ Discuss the latest research and trends in family business and family entrepreneurship.
2️⃣ Examine how family dynamics influence business strategies, innovation, and sustainability.
3️⃣ Share insights into best practices for nurturing entrepreneurial spirit across generations.
Join us in this special track to deepen your understanding of family business and entrepreneurship and to connect with experts who are shaping the future of this key sector.

Track chairs:
🌟 Dr. Alfredo De Massis, Professor at the Università degli Studi 'Gabriele d'Annunzio'​ di Chieti (Italy) & IMD (Switzerland)
🌟 Dr. Ayth Al Mubarak, CEO المركز الوطني للمنشآت العائلية The National Center for Family Business (KSA)
🌟 Dr. Fuad Chapra, Head of Solutions, Advisory & Head of Private Enterprise & Family Business, KPMG Saudi Arabia (KSA)
🌟 Dr. Tarek El Masri, PhD, MBA, CIA, Head of MBSC Family Business Institute, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship - MBSC (KSA)

📅 Submission Deadline: September 15, 2024

Special Track: Entrepreneurship Education at the 1st International Conference on Entrepreneurship, Family Business & Sustainable Innovation (IERC 2025) !

We are excited to announce a special track dedicated to Entrepreneurship Education. This track is designed to explore the innovative methods and practices that are shaping the future of entrepreneurship education around the world.

Participants in this track will have the opportunity to:
1️⃣ Present cutting-edge research and practices in entrepreneurship education.
2️⃣ Discuss the role of education in fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and skills.
3️⃣ Explore new pedagogical approaches that enhance the learning experience for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Join us in this special track to contribute to the advancement of entrepreneurship education and connect with educators and researchers who are driving change in this essential sector.

Track chairs:
🌟 Dr. Christoph Winkler, Hynes Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Founding Program Director, Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Iona University, USA
🌟 Dr. Doan Winkel, The John J. Kahl, Sr., Chair in Entrepreneurship, Director of the Muldoon Center for Entrepreneurship, Founding Director, Donnelly School of Leadership & Social Innovation, John Carroll University, USA
🌟Dr. Heidi Neck, Jeffry A. Timmons Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies
Academic Director, Babson Academy for Global Entrepreneurial Learning, Babson College, USA

📅 Important date: Submission Deadline: September 15, 2024