𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤𝗜𝗔+ 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦

𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤𝗜𝗔+ 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹:
Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿:
Taylor & Francis Group

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
31 October 2026

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲

Entrepreneurship research increasingly recognizes the importance of identity in shaping entrepreneurial motivation, decision-making, legitimacy, and venture creation. However, LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs remain significantly underrepresented in mainstream entrepreneurship scholarship despite the unique challenges and opportunities they experience within entrepreneurial ecosystems.

This Special Issue aims to advance theoretical, empirical, and methodological understanding of LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship by exploring how identity, institutions, and inclusion interact within entrepreneurial contexts. It encourages research that examines how LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs navigate visibility, stigma, legitimacy, belonging, and institutional barriers while contributing to more inclusive entrepreneurial environments.

The issue welcomes diverse perspectives from entrepreneurship, management, sociology, gender and sexuality studies, organizational theory, public policy, and related disciplines, with a focus on generating meaningful insights for both scholarship and practice.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁

Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• LGBTQIA+ identity and entrepreneurial identity formation
• Coming out, concealment, and impression management in entrepreneurship
• Intersectionality across race, gender, class, disability, and sexuality
• Institutional barriers to legitimacy, funding, growth, and recognition
• Entrepreneurial ecosystems and LGBTQIA+ inclusion
• Emancipatory entrepreneurship and social change
• Entrepreneurial wellbeing, belonging, and non-economic outcomes
• Policy initiatives supporting LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs and small businesses
• Comparative studies across countries, regions, and cultures
• Inclusion and equity within entrepreneurial communities
• Methodological innovations for studying LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship
• Queer theory, institutional theory, and identity-based entrepreneurship research

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

As entrepreneurship research continues to evolve, there is growing recognition that inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems require deeper understanding of diverse identities and lived experiences. This Special Issue seeks to fill important gaps in the literature by providing a platform for rigorous research on LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurship and its broader implications for policy, institutions, and entrepreneurial practice.

By advancing theory, methods, and practical insights, the issue aims to contribute to more inclusive entrepreneurial environments while enriching contemporary entrepreneurship scholarship.

𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

Shawna Chen
Brock University, Canada

Michael Lounsbury
University of Alberta, Canada

Chris Zhang
University of Houston Downtown, USA

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

• Manuscript submission opening date: 1 November 2025
• Full manuscript submission deadline: 31 October 2026
• Expected publication date: April 2027
• All manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
• Authors must select “2SLGBTQIA+ Entrepreneurship” during submission.
• Manuscripts should follow the Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship author guidelines.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹

Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship publishes high-quality research on entrepreneurship, innovation, small business management, entrepreneurial ecosystems, policy, and inclusive enterprise development, contributing to both scholarly advancement and practical impact.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

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