In Search of Research Excellence

This is a best- practices book with a diff erence.
Yes, we do focus on product exemplars: works of entrepreneurship
research excellence that can be examined and emulated. But the diff erence
is that we also focus on people- exemplars: on making the ‘how-to’ skills
used by top- tier entrepreneurship researchers explicit.
We have been able to accomplish the task of uncovering the ‘tacit
and implicit’ understandings of top- tier researchers, and making these
‘concrete and explicit,’ through the generosity and support of an entire
research community. As a result, the Excellence in Entrepreneurship
Research Exemplars Initiative has been recognized by the Academy of
Management Board of Governors at the 2009 Annual Meeting as an
Academy- wide best practice. Thank you to all who have assisted.
Within these pages, and on the companion website (www.research
exemplars.org), you can read and hear the narratives from many contributors,
who explain how top- tier research capabilities can be acquired. You
can also obtain descriptions of the ‘how- to’ process for publishing work in
ten top journals. Why is enabling your access to this previously hard- toget-
at information important to us?