The Emerald Handbook of Digital Transformation, Environmental Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Global South (International Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship Research)

There is a growing body of research suggesting that wellbeing and environmental sustainability have little or no interplay or relationship, with some viewing them as often conflicting goals. This book addresses this misconception by highlighting a range of social factors that influence wellbeing challenges. It uniquely advances the traditional emphasis on economic growth by shedding light on the need for the development of pro-social attitudes and behaviours that are essential for achieving more harmonious coexistence with nature. The nascent discoveries from this emerging discipline are already exerting influence on economics, psychology, healthcare, urban planning, and the methodologies employed by national statistical agencies that inform policy decisions.

The editors advance reader’s understanding of these complex issues by bringing together critical perspectives that explore best practices of utilising digital transformation as a catalyst, rather than an obstacle, for constructing an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable Global South in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the expertise of 30 leading scholars to provide an up-to-date coverage of sustainability and wellbeing issues confronting the Global South, providing potential solutions.

The International Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship Research series opens a new chapter, as it seeks to advance discussions that consolidate conventional knowledge. The purpose of this initiative is to invite new reflections on the nature of entrepreneurship and small business across contexts. The collections in this series aim to improve the theoretical rigour and practical relevance of the field. The emphasis is to advance contemporary contributions that matter for small business and entrepreneurship, directing us to underexplored and under-theorised contexts.

Bridget Irene is a Senior Lecturer in business management at the Leicester Castle Business School, De Montfort University. Her scholarly interests range widely, encompassing entrepreneurship and focusing on the culturally instantiated facets of the debate on gender entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial competencies, family businesses, entrepreneurship education, and the informal economy. Her PhD research contributes to the already established discourse on gendering entrepreneurship and provides explicit feminist perspectives highlighting the inadvertent reinforcement of women’s subordination to men in the context of entrepreneurship.

Julius Irene is a Senior Lecturer at the Elizabeth School of London. Before embarking on his PhD, Julius worked in the oil and gas sector as an upstream exploration operations geologist for over 20 years. He is passionate about developing and supporting research related to the institutional and sociocultural context of sustainability transition processes, science and technology studies (STS), foresight and strategic planning. His research provides enhanced understanding of environmental/ energy challenges and solutions from a place-based perspective to develop findings, tools and theories, which can be applied by local and national policymakers, communities and practitioners.

Kingsley Obi Omeihe is an Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of the West of Scotland. He holds the position of co-chair of African Studies at the British Academy of Management. His research interests include entrepreneurship, qualitative research methods and comparative issues in economic sociology. His research brings a qualitative informed perspective to a variety of topics, including social problems, African studies, small business marketing and enterprise education. He is currently researching, using phenomenological analysis, the meanings and consequences of trust-based networks.

Joan Lockyer is a Professor of Entrepreneurship. Her career spans industry, self-employment, and academia. Her research focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and leadership. She has led significant projects, developed educational programmes, and currently provides consultancy services to clients globally. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.