As a means of establishing and sustaining an international top position in entrepreneurship research, the Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research (ACE) hosts the “ACE Paper Development Bootcamp” in December of each year.
The Bootcamp is aimed at providing an opportunity for researchers to focus on the crafting and development of existing paper drafts, conference papers, previously rejected manuscripts and other file drawer ‘orphans’. Bootcamp participants include staff on all levels, from PhD students and early career researchers to full professors. With a number of leading conferences having paper deadlines in early in the year, including Academy of Management, this is an ideal time to focus on the development of your papers.
This year so far we can confirm that Frederic Delmar will join our group of ‘celebrity visitors’ and as in past years Dean Shepherd, Per Davidsson and Paul Steffens will chair sessions and offer mentoring through out the program.
In addition to our international guests and our internal QUT participants, a small number of researchers are welcomed by ‘invitation only’ from other Australian and International Universities.
Specifically, attendees will get the chance to: 1. Progress a specific paper in a very material way and take it to the “next level”. 2. Get written reviews from at least 3 participants and one senior academic. 3. Get a 30-40 min. round table discussion of how to best advance the paper. 4. Learn from others what it takes to make a good paper.
The 2013 BOOTCAMP is scheduled to be held Tue 17, Wed 18, and Thur 19 of December, 2013 at Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. Full (draft) papers will be due on or before 30 November 2013. The period of reviewing will be between the 2 – 12 December 2013.
The cost per participant is approximately AUD 1200 (GST inclusive) – please note that this is an indicative cost and may alter slightly. This fee covers: travel by passenger ferry to and from Holt Street Wharf and the resort, participation in all scheduled workshop and social activities, share accommodation and meals.
To submit your expression of interest for the 2013 please enter your details here please note that places are limited.
You might like to read more about Bootcamp – the story below was kindly contributed by Evan Douglas, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Head of Department of Marketing, Griffith Business School shortly after last year’s bootcamp.
Bootcamp Preparation for the Research Frontier
The 8th ACE research paper development conference, held December 18-20 at Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island, , was deemed by all participants to be a great success. Affectionately known as ‘Bootcamp’ this event puts young (and some not-so-young) researchers through rigorous training by their colleagues and several highly-experienced journal editors and reviewers. I was one of a half dozen non-QUT researchers graciously allowed to participate – this may seem particularly gracious since I now work at Griffith across the river from QUT. But as Per Davidsson and I have previously agreed, we may compete for students but in research we can collaborate very effectively and a “rising tide lifts all the boats”.
Indeed that might have been the unofficial theme of the Bootcamp this year, as in previous years. Each person submitting a paper for review undertook to provide journal quality reviews for three other submitted papers. Thus each paper received three very thoughtful and constructive written reviews on their own paper, plus a round-table discussion of the research paper potentially attended by others as well as the formal reviewers. The purpose of this process is to refine the research papers such that they might save at least one round in the multi-round journal reviewing process. By uncovering perceived impediments to publication, authors are able to strengthen their arguments; correct methodological or other errors; be alerted to overlooked prior research, and generally polish the paper before submission to a refereed journal, raising the probability of a favourable outcome.
Unlike journal reviews which are ‘double-blind’, at the Bootcamp the author and the reviewers are known to each other, such that colleagues effectively contribute to each other’s papers, each with the general understanding that no matter how valuable their contribution, no co-authorships will be offered or taken as a result. This is selfless work, but nonetheless delivers valuable benefits to the reviewers as well as the authors – reviewers gain new insights into research issues that may be tangential to their own research areas, and identify other researchers and their interests with a view to collaboration on future research projects.
The celebrity visitors this year were Dev Jennings and Jennifer Jennings from the University of Alberta – each one is currently a Field Editor for the Journal of Business Venturing (JBV), as is Per Davidsson. In addition, Dev is a founding editor of Strategic Organization and an incoming editor of Administrative Science Quarterly. Dean Shepherd, the Chief Editor of JBV, is now a regular at these Bootcamps since becoming an Adjunct Professor at QUT. Each of the three invited celebrity authors and editors shared their wisdom in key note addresses to the assembled. Thus, adding Per we had the benefit of the knowledge and experience of four very high-powered editors from the field’s top journal. This was a rare opportunity that I think happens nowhere else in the world – well, at least I was not invited!
The social side was also excellent, including good food and wine at dinners, feeding the dolphins, an excursion around the island, and plenty of chance for ACE members to engage with each other and the visiting academics from other Universities in a relaxed and collegial atmosphere. There was some pool played, which Per seemed to win a lot, not surprising perhaps as only he knows the rules! Behind the scenes prior to and throughout the conference was Karen, the calm and efficient organiser of the whole event. On behalf of the visiting academics at the Bootcamp, I thank especially Karen and Per for this tremendous event and we all look forward to the next one!
To submit your expression of interest for the 2013 ACE Bootcamp please enter your details here
If you would like to hear what Gerry George, Harry Sazpienza, Tom Lumpkin and others have to say about the ACE Boot Camp then please view the videos on our ACE homepage