OVERVIEW:

This conference will stimulate dialogue between and among scholars, policy makers and practitioners around an extremely important issue facing communities throughout the country—economic recovery. Through paper presentations and policy roundtables, conference participants will explore the most recent research on small business and entrepreneurship, including: necessary conditions (and obstacles) to reignite hiring; the link between business creation and job growth; access to financial resources and disparities among small businesses; potential jobs/workforce mismatches and the role of small business and entrepreneurship in neighborhood stabilization efforts. The conference will be structured to gain a better understanding of the implications of various existing, new and proposed policies related to small business and entrepreneurship, including new and/or expanding Small Business Administration (SBA) and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) programs.

Scholars and practitioners (including lenders, technical assistance providers and policy makers) engaged in research related to small business and entrepreneurship are encouraged to submit papers.

All conference proceedings will be available on a dedicated Small Business page on the Atlanta Federal Reserve web site. In addition, several presenters will be interviewed for online podcast or webcast series.

INVITED SPEAKERS:

Mark Doms, Ph.D.

Chief Economist, Department of Commerce

Brian Headd, Ph.D.

Office of Advocacy, Small Business Administration

John Haltiwanger, Ph.D.

Professor of Economics, University of Maryland, College Park

Lisa Servon, Ph.D.

Dean, Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy

Ivonne Cunarro

Chief Knowledge Officer, Minority Business Development Agency, Department of Commerce

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION AND CONFERENCE TOPICS:

The goal of the conference is to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the relationship between small business and entrepreneurship with economic recovery. Submissions from a wide range of perspectives and academic disciplines are encouraged. Presenters are encouraged to submit papers addressing a wide array of topics as they relate to small business and entrepreneurship, including but not limited to the following:

• Job dynamics
• Market dynamics
• Access to financial resources
• Women- and minority- owned firms
• Community and economic development
• Human capital
• Immigration
• Social capital and networks
• Local, state, national and international policies and regulations
  (i.e., related to health, labor, trade, economic development, community development, etc.)
• Data issues related to the conference theme

Theoretical and empirical papers, including methodologically sophisticated case studies, are welcome. Papers that can link the above topics to policy-relevant implications will receive top priority. Eligible papers for submission should be new research that has not already been accepted for publication in an academic or practitioner journal.

The deadline to submit an abstract was midnight (EST), July 1, 2010 and the submission process is now closed. The organizers will inform authors submitting a paper by the middle of August about inclusion in the conference and accepted authors will be requested to submit a final paper by Monday, September 20, 2010.

Conference Registration and Fees:
There is no registration fee for presenters or discussants. For all other attendees, there is a registration fee of $75. The registration fee includes breakfast, lunch and a reception on Tuesday, October 26th  and breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, October 27th. Hotel or travel costs are not included in the fee. Limited travel subsidies may be available for authors of select papers based on need and availability.

Organizing Committee

Myriam Quispe-Agnoli

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Elizabeth Sobel Blum

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Colleen Casey

Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Dallas

Karen Leone de Nie

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Melinda Pitts

Labor, Education and Health Policy Center, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Alicia Robb

Kauffman Foundation

Robert Strom

Kauffman Foundation