Dear Readers,
We are pleased to present the second biannual issue of the 2024 Journal of Ethics in Entrepreneurship and Technology, which contains several fascinating and thoughtful contributions.
Our journal strives to attract contributions investigating the underlying principles of entrepreneurship in the digital era with an applied ethical perspective that seeks to answer both the technological challenges and developing world realities. Although it is a young publication, our journal boasts authorship/contributions from researchers and practitioners worldwide. As editors, we are committed to establishing this journal as a prominent platform for researchers to showcase their work and move this transdisciplinary field of research to new heights of knowledge and practical applications. To back this commitment and with the support of our publisher, we put forward peer-reviewed content that is open-access with no article processing charge for the authors. Supporting such a publication is difficult, but we know its importance and are committed to moving forward.
To further enhance the relevance of our content and bridge the gap between academic discourse and the pressing issues in the world of practice, the 2024 issues of JEET include carefully curated book reviews that we believe will appeal to academics and practitioners.
With this introduction, we invite you to explore the contributions featured in this issue.
The first article in this issue by Klaus Schebesch, Horațiu Șoim and Radu Lucian Blaga examines the role of entrepreneurial ecosystems in economic development and entrepreneurial success, focusing on the triple-helix model as a conceptual ideal. The authors acknowledge the importance of techno-economic conditions’ history and entrepreneurial ecosystems’ formation as they induce path dependence over time. Also, identify some statistical patterns of the most influential, city-centered, entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide and analyze their dependence on local university performance. With this study, the authors argue that the triple-helix concept cannot be naively applied in emerging countries to improve entrepreneurial rankings. Instead, they propose a new polycentric structure as a potential strategy for emerging EES, suggesting that cross-border networks and collaborative innovation can help overcome power deficits and foster innovation.
In the second article, authors Brindusa Mariana Bejan and Ciprian Marcel Pop investigate the effectiveness of a new recycling program in Romania using social media content analysis, both from the program promoter’s perspective and the consumer’s perspective.
The study highlights the role of social media in influencing public opinion and promoting pro-environmental behaviors. The findings suggest that the program’s effectiveness is dependent on its content and objectives as much as its implementation. Based on their findings, the authors recommend that efforts prioritize clear communication, improved infrastructure and increased public education. With this study, the authors address critical aspects of implementing environmental protection strategies, especially in emerging economies.
The third article by Hajira Birungi focuses again on entrepreneurial ecosystems but in Uganda’s specific economic, social and cultural context. The author examines factors that contribute to the performance of SMEs in that country’s manufacturing sector and argues for the role played by a well-functioning entrepreneurial ecosystem in the success of such companies. Based on a survey of 310 manufacturing SMEs in Uganda, the author finds that institutional arrangements and resource endowments significantly influence SMEs’ performance and highlights the requirement for a more holistic approach to policy intervention for building a well-functioning entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Ovidiu Olean contributed to our issue with a review of Andrew Taylor and Adam Bronstone’s (2022) book “Re-Constructing the Global Network Economy: Building Pathways to Resilience in Local Economies.” This book examines how to build resilience in local communities’ socioeconomic networks.
In the fifth article, author Benton Jones explores the effectiveness of using different-race presenter avatars in single-session online diversity training programs to reduce participant racial bias. Testing the Intergroup Social Contact theory and using the modern racism scale on a population of undergraduate business students, the study reaches mixed outcomes. The paper offers insights, especially for small businesses, highlighting the potential benefits of multi-session programs and the careful consideration of the use of different-race presenters.
The sixth article by Amalia Cristina Nedelcut, Melisa Petra Benchis, Sebastian Vaduva and Lance Brouthers explores the viability of Western European businesses shifting their foreign direct investments away from China and toward Central and Eastern European nations. The authors base their argumentations on the CAGE Distance framework, which analyzes the cultural, administrative, geographic and economic factors that make CEE nations a more attractive investment destination. They also provide case studies to illustrate their argument and highlight critical factors influencing the decision-making process and the benefits of such a shift.
Finally, our issue concludes with another book review by Samuel Echevarria-Cruz, who critically examines Bjorn Lomborg’s Best Things First (2023), which proposes 12 solutions that could help with global poverty and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.
We hope you will enjoy reading this issue of JEET!
The Editors
