In recent years, there has been growing interest and stronger calls for research that not only advances theory but also creates ‘real’ and meaningful impact. In the field of entrepreneurship, this means generating insights that can support entrepreneurs, inform policymakers, and inspire new forms of practice. This commitment to impact has always been at the core of JBVI, which seeks to “enhance the conversation among scholars and practitioners by offering a forum to disseminate novel and relevant entrepreneurship research rapidly.”
As JBVI celebrated its 10th anniversary, we asked a simple but important question: What difference has JBVI really made?
How we assessed JBVI’s impact
To answer this question, our paper took stock of JBVI’s impact over the past decade. Moving beyond conventional publication metrics like citation counts and journal impact factors, we collected data from multiple sources:
A survey of first authors of JBVI articles (78 responses, representing 121 papers)
Data from impact-tracking tools (e.g., Altmetric, Overton, and PlumX)
Manual searches of media outlets and policy documents
What we found: Impact beyond academia
JBVI’s impact is multidimensional
JBVI articles generate impact across four interconnected areas:
Scholarly impact: Articles are widely cited, with JBVI reaching a CiteScore of 11.7. They are also presented at leading entrepreneurship and management conferences, research seminars, and contributed to teaching and curriculum development in different institutions.
Public impact: JBVI research has been featured in international news outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and The Times, as well as podcasts, blogs, and social media. In fact, 71% of authors reported their paper being shared, discussed, or referenced online (e.g., LinkedIn, X).
Policy & practitioner impact: Articles have been cited in reports by the UN, OECD, EU, and national governments. In some cases, JBVI research directly shaped policy programmes, refugee training initiatives, and local entrepreneurial ecosystems. More broadly, JBVI articles have fostered collaborations between academics and practitioners.
Author impact: Publishing in JBVI has boosted career development and increased visibility in the field. It expands networks, sparks conversations with other academics, and leads to new opportunities, such as invitations to edit a Special Issue or lead an Academy of Management symposium.
Impact is co-produced
One of our key findings is that impact is not created by journals alone. Instead, it is co-produced through the actions of authors, editorial teams, and public stakeholders. For instance:
Authors promote their papers through social media, press releases, and blog posts.
The editorial team develops new formats like Rapid Response Initiatives to make research relevant, timely, and responsive.
Practitioners, policymakers, and journalists pick up insights from JBVI articles and apply them to address current challenges, from re-designing a national social innovation seed funding programme to creating templates for pitching competitions.
In short, JBVI’s impact exists at the intersection of academic opportunities and societal needs.
Lessons learned: Tips for increasing research impact
Our paper offers lessons not only for JBVI but for any researcher and journal wanting to make a difference through their research.
Be proactive in sharing. Authors who promoted their papers online and through press releases reached much broader audiences.
Balance speed and rigour. Timely publications help bridge the gap between theory and practice, especially in response to new, real challenges.
Experiment with creative formats. Infographics, blog posts, videos, and podcasts have a wider reach beyond journal paywalls.
Create space for co-creation. Meaningful impact requires interaction among authors, editorial teams, and stakeholders who can exchange ideas, ask questions, and learn together.
What’s next?
As JBVI enters its second decade, the journal continues to explore new ways of fostering impact, from Bootcamps in underrepresented regions to open editorial offices and primers like this one. The lessons from JBVI’s first ten years suggest that entrepreneurship research can indeed shape conversations, policies, and practices, but this is a shared endeavour. Only through collaboration among authors, editors, and stakeholders can research insights become truly actionable and impactful.
Read the full paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352673425000150
Author bios
Philip T. Roundy is the Mary Harris Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Tennessee (Chattanooga). His research focuses on the role of entrepreneurship in economic and community revitalization. He is particularly interested in how entrepreneurs facilitate the renewal of struggling regions, “dying” industries, and displaced technologies. He is an associate editor at the Journal of Business Venturing Insights and serves on the editorial boards of Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, Small Business Economics, Strategic Organization, and Entrepreneurship Research Journal. He earned his PhD in strategic management and organization theory from the University of Texas at Austin.
Bernadetta A. Ginting-Szczesny is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Entrepreneurship at Aalto University School of Business, Finland, and serves as Media and Engagement Editor of Journal of Business Venturing Insights. Her research is interdisciplinary, drawing from social psychology and sociology to study how entrepreneurship can contribute to more equitable, accessible, and inclusive societies. She is also particularly interested in employing creative, visual methodologies and engaged research.
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