Entrepreneurship and Business Ecosystems in Kenya
CALL FOR CHAPTERS
To be published beginning 2015/early 2016 – http://www.digitalkenyabook.com
Editors: Dr. Bitange Ndemo, University of Nairobi & Tim Weiss, Zeppelin University
Description
With this call for chapters, the editors seek to enhance and invigorate the dialog surrounding business environments and entrepreneurship by creating awareness, a source of inspiration and a vision for what it means to become an entrepreneur in Kenya. This publication will allow an unprecedented insight into the dynamics of the most “hyped” ecosystem on the African continent. The editors aspire to establish this book as a central point of reference for Kenyans, Africans and beyond.
Kenya is seen as one of the most important gateways to other African markets. Comprehending the dynamics and peculiarities in Kenya’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ecosystem is the first step in inspiring a series of publications in the African management and business literature. This volume lays the foundation for analyzing African business contexts, intra organizational processes and entrepreneurial ventures.
The book will consist of two complementary parts – authors’ book chapters and entrepreneurial profiles. Contributions from scholars, practitioners and experts will constitute up to 15 chapters (6,000 to 8,000 words). The editors will interweave 10 profiles of ICT entrepreneurs as a special feature in between chapters. The profiles will provide rich contextual knowledge on why these individuals became entrepreneurs.
Objectives of the Book
We invite innovative, interesting, unconventional, relevant and counterintuitive chapter proposals that address theoretical and empirical aspects of entrepreneurship and Kenya's business environment.
For Academics: The editors are open to a variety of theoretical contributions in the realm of economic sociology, sociology of finance, sociology of culture, economic geography, strategic management and organization theory. Theoretical and empirical chapters should contextualize and foster the debate around entrepreneurship and business environments as well as advance theory development. Research efforts grounded in qualitative or quantitative data are encouraged.
For Practitioners: The book will greatly benefit from knowledge contributed from the midst of Kenya's business environment. We invite all stakeholders - entrepreneurs in all stages, (angle-) investors, industry experts, government officials, employees and corporate representatives just to mention - to draw up thoughtful chapter proposals. We are especially interested in chapters that lay out current developments, highlight their relevance for the tech ecosystem and offer practical solutions or recommendations for entrepreneurs, policy makers and the international community. Case studies, reviews and opinion pieces are welcome.
Suggested Themes
We encourage authors to generate thoughtful and well-structured chapter proposals that address relevant aspect of entrepreneurship and business environments. The editors invite chapter proposals (up to 1,000 words) on the themes that include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Evolution of Kenya’s tech ecosystem
Every ecosystem starts with a coevolution of different factors that brought it to where it is today. A depiction of how the ecosystem evolved, with emphasis on key events, will give a clearer picture on how the ecosystem became what it is today and a future outlook will give a glimpse into where it is heading. Important questions and topics can be:
2. Entrepreneurial Mindset and Business Ventures
The social, cultural and economic contex influences entrepreneurship. What are the pecular dynamics that shape Kenyan entrepreneurs and how is it different from other countries? This theme digs deeper into the forces that shape the Kenyan entrepreneurial mindset.
3. Kenyan Investors and International Investors
International investors and donors have a large influence on Kenya’s business environment. Yet, Kenyans cultivate a unique investment culture that influences how businesses are supported. Formal and informal saving and investment groups form the backbone for new investment opportunities. How can these two be brought together? What are successful strategies and how do different investors influence entrepreneurs?
4. Organizational Culture, Strategy Tools and Management Practices
The tech ecosystem is a unique melting pot. It comes along with global values and norms that blend in with local Kenyan values. This dynamic shapes the adaption and diffusion of practices and how business is done in the tech ecosystem. What works and what does not?
5. Entrepreneurial Profiles
Entrepreneur profiles (up to 5 pages each) shall
provide rich contextual knowledge on why these individuals became entrepreneurs
and shall be integrated into the 15 chapters in order to provide real life
examples to the topics being discussed. Each profile should focus on a certain
subtopic (such as trust, security, failure or how to build e-commerce
businesses) beyond biographical elaborations.
The pool of entrepreneurs should reflect the actual diversity in the ICT ecosystem
(Expats, Repats, Indian-Kenyans, Somali-Kenyans, Kenyans and women
entrepreneurs). The following questions will be a guiding framework for the
profiles and will help to create a real life understanding of entrepreneurship:
Submission Procedure
Submit proposals (up to 1,000 words) on or before January 31st, 2015, explaining the basis, highlighting the relevance and defining the approach of the proposed chapter. Also, include for each author a brief biography. Authors will be notified by February 28th, 2015, if their chapter has been accepted, and will at that time receive further information about the format and additional guidelines to follow in the preparation of the full chapter.
Submit proposals as either PDF or Word files on www.digitalkenyabook.com or contact: Bitange Ndemo [email protected] and Tim Weiss [email protected]
Timeline
Dec. 15th, 2014 till Jan. 31st, 2015 Open Call for Contribution
February 28th Selection of chapters
April 15th Authors submit 1st draft
May 15th Review by industry expert and scholar
June 30th Final submission
August 15th Notification of acceptance
October 31st Final editing
End of 2015/Early 2016 Publishing
About the editors and authors
Dr. Bitange Ndemo is the immediate former Permanent Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Information and Communication. Having completed his tenure with the Government, Dr. Ndemo now lectures on entrepreneurship and research methods at the University of Nairobi’s Business School. Most of his research centers on the link between ICTs and small and medium enterprises in Kenya with an emphasis on how ICTs influence economic development in Kenya. Dr. Ndemo is credited with facilitating many ICT start-ups in Kenya and actively plays a key role in building sustainable models of innovation hubs in Kenya. He is an advisor for I-Hub, the premier innovation hub in Africa. He also sits on the Board of Research ICT Africa that is based in South Africa. Dr. Ndemo holds a PhD in Industrial Economics from the University of Sheffield in the UK and bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Minnesota. He is the Honorary Chair of the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).
Tim Weiss, MA is currently a research fellow and doctoral candidate at the department for Strategic Organization & Finance Zeppelin University (Germany) with several years work experience in Kenya and Ethiopia. He was a visiting PhD student at the Management and Organizations Department at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (USA). His research focuses on the economic, cultural and social underpinnings governing the interaction between Kenyan technology entrepreneurs and international VC, PE, incubator and accelerator models. He engaged in an intensive grounded theory investigation of Kenya’s ICT ecosystem in summer 2014 with more than 160 interviews.