Darden Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research Conference

More than 70 leading scholars from around the world convened at Darden April 30-May 1, 2010, for the inaugural "Darden Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research Conference." The event featured presentations of new and as-yet-unpublished scholarship on a wide range of topics, including intellectual property management, disruptive innovation, minority entrepreneurship, founding team characteristics, and entrepreneurial learning styles.

The conference committee, comprised of Darden professors Michael Lenox, Sankaran Venkataraman, Saras Sarasvathy, Greg Fairchild, Raul Chao, and Andrea Larson, developed a robust agenda that included mediated discussions of over two dozen working papers, parallel breakout sessions, a doctoral research poster session, and numerous opportunities for informal conversation and fellowship around the Darden Grounds. Among the key session themes were:

• "Individual and Institutional Incentives for Entrepreneurship and Innovation"
• "Entrepreneurs, Incumbents and Industry Dynamics"
• "The Role of Status and Standing in Entrepreneurial Success"

A highlight for many participants was a lively and unconventional debate-style conversation in Darden’s new "Innovation Lab" (i.Lab) between Professors Jay Barney of Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business and Sidney Winter of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. This wide-ranging and thoughtful discussion addressed whether, "Entrepreneurs are More Important for Economic Growth than Corporate Innovators." Prof. Barney argued the "for" position and Prof. Winter argued "against."

The conference, coordinated by Batten research associate Andrew King and a supporting team from the Institute, generated an overwhelmingly positive response and strong enthusiasm for future research gatherings at Darden. "One of our goals at the Batten Institute is to foster a community of scholarship on entrepreneurship and innovation," said Lenox, the Institute’s executive director and chair of the conference committee. "We've worked toward that through our long-standing Batten Grant and Batten Fellows programs. Now this conference gives us another way to support research in entrepreneurship and innovation and strengthen that scholarly community. Given the significant level of interest in the conference, we anticipate hosting this event annually at Darden."

Download the agenda.