Scopus Journal call for paper: International Journal of Emerging Markets (Voices from the Balkans: Entrepreneurship, International Business, and Management Research in Transitional Economies )

Entrepreneurship, international business, and management in the Balkan region unfold within historically shaped, diverse, and multi-layered environments that often challenge one-size-fits-all theories of organizations, internationalization, and entrepreneurial behavior (Palalić et al., 2018). Positioned at a key crossroads between Europe and Asia, the Balkans have a vibrant business history, diverse institutional settings, and rapidly changing economies. A special issue focused on entrepreneurship, international business, and management in the Balkan region is both timely and valuable for several reasons.

First, variations in formal rules, access to funding and talent, cross-border business relationships, and informal institutions create a natural setting for testing ideas about entrepreneurship, company growth, and industrial development (Anand et al., 2025; Džafić, 2014; Ramadani et al., 2023). Second, the transition from socialist systems and ongoing EU integration have significantly changed the business landscape in the Balkans. Differences and similarities in market rules, governance, and policies across neighboring countries impact how startups are created, how firms stay resilient, and how they expand internationally (Moritz et al., 2024; Tekin et al., 2021). Third, digital transformation, increasing integration into regional value chains, and a growing entrepreneurial spirit among young people and marginalized communities are reshaping competitive environments (Aydin et al., 2024; Shaqiri et al., 2024; Zuzaku & Abazi, 2022). The Balkans offer distinctive opportunities and challenges in adopting new technologies, developing talent, and promoting inclusive entrepreneurship to support sustainable growth (Djip, 2014; Ramadani et al., 2023). Fourth, scholarship on entrepreneurship, international business, and management in the Balkans has often remained siloed within country-specific studies rather than integrating regional patterns. Finally, from a methodological standpoint, the Balkan context offers opportunities to employ quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches, including longitudinal and comparative case study designs that can enrich methodological discussions in entrepreneurship, international business, and management research.

The Guest Editors invite submissions that are grounded in the region’s rich diversity and demonstrate how unique Balkan phenomena challenge conventional perspectives and offer insights that extend well beyond the region. Whether your focus is on individuals, ecosystems, or institutions, your submissions may employ a variety of methods, such as ethnographies, comparative studies, multi-level analyses, experiments, or big data approaches. Our ultimate goal with this Special Issue is to foster local perspectives on Balkan entrepreneurship, international business, and management, and to develop conceptual frameworks inspired by the region that connect with global theories of entrepreneurial action, institutional change, and organizational strategies.

List of Topic Areas

Institutional Adaptation, Governance, and Constraints
Ecosystems, Informality, and Trust in Digital and Gig Economies
Post-Conflict Recovery, Entrepreneurship, and Organizational Resilience
Migration, Diaspora Engagement, and Transnational Business
SME Development, Internationalization, Competitiveness, and Economic Growth under Geopolitical Strain
Culture, Cognition, Leadership, and Entrepreneurial Behavior
Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability, Corruption, and Institutional Entrepreneurship in a Reform-Oriented Landscape
Other Emerging Topics in Entrepreneurship, International Business, and Management

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available at: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijoem

Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see: https://www.emerald.com/journals/author-guidance/1627/emerald-publishing-author-guidelines

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

Journal Information: Scopus Journal Q1, H-Index 56