“Innovation Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: Practice, Strategies, and Impacts”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Innovation Management in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: Practice, Strategies, and Impacts”

Journal: Journal of Economy and Technology
Publisher: Elsevier
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026

Overview

This special issue explores the vital role of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the modern economic landscape. As SMEs face increasing pressure to remain competitive, understanding the trends, techniques, and application areas of innovation management is essential. This issue focuses on bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application by highlighting real-world cases, innovation strategies employed by SMEs, and the vital role of supporting innovation actors (e.g., incubators, government bodies, and consultants).

Key Research Themes

• Innovation Practices: Management tools, ecosystems, and strategic innovation processes tailored for the SME context.

• Digital & Emerging Tech: The adoption of AI, blockchain, and other advanced technologies to drive innovation management.

• Strategic Entrepreneurship: Business model innovation, entrepreneurial innovation, and strategic adaptation to market shifts.

• Impact & Sustainability: Measuring the social impact of innovation, sustainable innovation practices, and managing innovation during crises (e.g., pandemic-driven shifts).

• Open Innovation: Collaborative frameworks, knowledge-sharing networks, and open innovation ecosystems for smaller firms.

Submission Details

• Submission deadline: 31 December 2026.

• Submission portal: https://www.editorialmanager.com/jetech/default2.aspx

• Special Instructions: You must select “SI: Innovations in SMEs” during the submission process to ensure your manuscript is routed to the special issue editors.

• Submission Standards: This issue features extended versions of papers from the IMSMEs-2025 conference, but also actively welcomes high-quality submissions from the broader research community. All submissions must demonstrate a practical orientation, offering clear solutions or insights applicable to the SME sector. Adherence to the journal’s Guide for Authors is required.

Guest Editor Team

• Prof. Dr. Dr. Varun Gupta, Multidisciplinary Research Centre for Innovations in SMEs (MrciS), Gisma University of Applied Sciences (varun.iit13@gmail.com)

Why This Issue Matters

SMEs are the engines of economic growth, yet they often lack the resources of large corporations to manage innovation effectively. By consolidating lessons from both successful SME practitioners and the actors who support them, this special issue provides a vital reference for researchers and entrepreneurs alike. It offers a unique platform to share cross-disciplinary solutions to the common problems of small-scale innovation management.

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