Searching for the true story of Greek entrepreneurship

The entrepreneurship team at ALBA Graduate Business School is creating a book made up of the stories of Greek entrepreneurs, as told by the entrepreneurs themselves. Professors Sarah Drakopoulou Dodd and Vasilis Theoharakis hope the book will provide an inspiring set of positive role models for other entrepreneurs, and people thinking about starting their own business. They also envisage that the book, and the research behind it, will provide a framework to help develop understanding about which aspects of Hellenic enterprise are uniquely Greek, and which follow broader international patterns and practices. As well as inspiration, these true stories will contribute to the ALBA team’s existing research stream examining strategies for success of Greek entrepreneurs.

Drakopoulou Dodd and Theoharakis are especially interested in men and women entrepreneurs who have managed to grow their businesses to a turnover value of at least 1 million EURO for the industrial, agricultural and commercial sector, and at least 0.5 million EURO for the services sector. They are searching for entrepreneurs who embrace strong value systems, such as vision, leadership, innovation, perseverance, passion and integrity. The ALBA team envisage the book as having national coverage, and are especially keen to gather entrepreneurial stories from beyond Athens. Any and all kinds of business are appropriate.

The ALBA professors that lead this effort point out that it is also important for their graduate management students to have access to case study material which is based on Greek realities. They are especially keen to develop cases to support their already very successful entrepreneurship teaching, which has already produced champions in the European Business Plan of the Year competition (2003 and 2005). The duo therefore plan to write up a series of case studies from the material gathered for the book. They hope, too, that the research process will lead to other outputs, such as academic journal and newspaper or magazine articles.

To carry out these ambitious plan the ALBA team is beginning a hunt for successful entrepreneurs with a great, inspiring story to tell. If you or someone you know have / has started and grown your / their own business, you are kindly requested to contact Mr. Alexis Komselis, tel.: 210-8964531, e-mail: [email protected] .