​Voices from the Balkans: Entrepreneurship, International Business, and Management Research in Transitional Economies

Introduction  

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 

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

References 

Anand, A., Aydin, Š., Radević, I., & Knezović, E. (2025). Entrepreneurial uncertainty in Central and Eastern Europe–A synthesis and agenda. Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review, 56(12), 5–17. 

Aydin, Š., Knezović, E., Bičo, A., & Smajić, H. (2024). Age, entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions: The mediating role of individual entrepreneurial orientation. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 18(1), 94–113.

Djip, V. (2014). Entrepreneurship and SME development in post-conflict societies: The case of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 3(2), 254–274. 

Džafić, Z. (2014). Business environment – The case of Western Balkan countries. Economic Review: Journal of Economics and Business, 12(2), 73–89. 

Moritz, A., Block, J. H., & Morina, F. (2024). Entrepreneurship in post-conflict countries: A literature review. Review of Managerial Science, 18(10), 3025–3083. 

Palalić, R., Dana, L.-P., & Ramadani, V. (Eds.). (2018). Entrepreneurship in Former Yugoslavia: Diversity, Institutional Constraints and Prospects. Springer International Publishing. 

Ramadani, V., Kjosev, S., & Sergi, B. S. (2023). Entrepreneurship development in the Balkans: Past, present, and future. In V. Ramadani, S. Kjosev, & B. S. Sergi (Eds.), Entrepreneurship development in the Balkans: Perspective from diverse contexts (pp. 1–14). Emerald Publishing. 

Shaqiri, G., Kacani, J., & Qorraj, G. (2024). Unlocking regional value chains: Fintech’s role in the Western Balkans’ integration into global markets. European Journal of Government and Economics, 13(2), 206–224. 

Tekin, E., Ramadani, V., & Dana, L. P. (2021). Entrepreneurship in Turkey and other Balkan countries: are there opportunities for mutual co-operation through internationalisation? Review of International Business and Strategy, 31(2), 297–314. 

Zuzaku, A., & Abazi, B. (2022). Digital transformation in the Western Balkans as an opportunity for managing innovation in small and medium businesses: Challenges and opportunities. IFAC-PapersOnLine, 55(39), 60–65. 

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.

Key Deadlines 

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: ​15/01/2027​

Closing date for manuscripts submission: ​15/06/2027​