Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to grasp the connection between entrepreneurial ecosystems and sustainable entrepreneurship and its relevance for tackling societal challenges. In particular, the work investigates if entrepreneurial ecosystems, through the lens of education and social context, simulate social entrepreneurial orientation. To accomplish the research goals, an empirical study is conducted relying on Global Entrepreneurship Monitor from 2015, where 58 countries are analyzed based on the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Taxonomy. The results point that education and social context are supporters of social entrepreneurship, emphasizing on both institutional and social networks role. However, the findings reveal that social context tends to instigate more regular entrepreneurship when compared to social entrepreneurship, although being a driver in both cases. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract
Purpose The entrepreneurial initiative is believed as being a prosperity engine. Islamic organizations are presently committed to promoting entrepreneurship to generate economic growth, provide job opportunities, reduce government centrality, enhance innovation and sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to identify which factors affect Islamic entrepreneurial endeavors with particular emphasis on the role of gender. Additionally, how education, age, moral constraints, self-perception and social support will affect those entrepreneurial intentions based on Islamic principles. Once identified, policy actions will help to overcome extant gaps, reinforcing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach Determinants of the entrepreneurial initiative will be appraised in the set Islamic countries present in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data set from 2016. Following the Organization of Islamic Cooperation list, 14 countries were identified establishing a total sample of 36,407 individuals. Using a set of predictors included in the theoretical framework a statistical analysis was performed followed by logit estimations. The significance of explanatory variables such as gender, age and social context toward entrepreneurial propensity reinforced the importance of specific tools rather than broad policies. Findings An entrepreneurial propensity is affected by three branches of factors: individual characteristics, individual behavior and individual perceptions along with the economic environment. The analysis shows that holding equal conditions, Islamic women in the sample are less prone to start a business compared to their male counterparts. Knowing other entrepreneurial endeavors enhance the entrepreneurial initiative. Fearing failure unconstraint entrepreneurial projects, but the self-perception of skills strongly triggers these initiatives. Research limitations/implications The empirical analysis relates to the GEM database, and, as a consequence, only 14 countries were considered, but it covers 36,407 individuals whose representativeness cannot be statistically proved, however, due to sample dimension the robustness is granted. Second, the sample is sectional covering the 2016 year, as a consequence results may be classified as exceptional.Finally, other factors such as institutional and behavioral determinants were not considered, despite their theoretical importance, due to their absence in the database. Still, the empirical results reinforce the theoretical debate and offer robust evidence to build a policy package, adapted to the Islamic singularities. Practical implications Still, the empirical results reinforce the theoretical debate and offer robust evidence to build a policy package, adapted to the Islamic singularities. Originality/value The paper identifies gender differences in entrepreneurial propensity among Islamic economics. The potential enhancers of the entrepreneurial initiative are first put in theoretical terms followed by an empirical analysis, encompassing descriptive analysis and econometric estimations. The results allow identification of gender gaps, as well as other individual and context characteristics affecting entrepreneurial endeavors. Empirical evidence casts light on policymakers elaborating accurate policy packages fostering gender equality in entrepreneurship in Islamic economics, aiming to increase overall entrepreneurial activity and leveraging socio-economic development. Finally, the study addresses recommendations to overcome gender differences relating to entrepreneurial activity considering the singularities of the context.

Abstract
Gender issues are increasingly studied in entrepreneurship along with the debate about the centrality of resilience in both individuals and organizations. However, the analysis of entrepreneurial initiative based on genderized resilience is a novel insight. Prior studies point out that, against the odds, in more vulnerable environments, individuals tend to be more resilient and exhibit higher levels of entrepreneurial initiative. Considering previous studies and its remarks about the importance of self-efficacy, self-determination, self-regulation, and social environment to determine a resilient profile, this work bridges the existing theoretical contributions with empirical findings, using resilience and entrepreneurship as the ground research field. Empirical results evidence the role of resilience and opens the discussion around its importance through a genderized perspective along with its effect on the entrepreneurial initiative. The existence of a gendered connection between individual resilience and entrepreneurial initiative emerges as a relevant insight. These findings provide valuable information to policymakers and practitioners understanding and designing policy packages which better suit gender singularities. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract
This paper investigates the potential impact of increased R&D efforts and structural change in Portugal on labour productivity. Based on existing literature on the relation between R&D expenditures, structural change and productivity, we evaluate the contribution of R&D and hightech industries to productivity over the last 30 years. Our results confirm the importance of business R&D in the medium to high-tech sectors and of public R&D, as they stimulate productivity growth. However, we cannot support the hypothosis that productivity growth was primarily rooted in the development of medium-high technology industries.

Abstract
Entrepreneurship is a worldwide reality. Since the beginning of times and all around the world people have created businesses. Entrepreneurial orientation, from a macroeconomic perspective, allows income and employment generation, thus boosting growth. At the microeconomic level, it is a competition booster playing a central role in a globalized market. In this entrepreneurial ecosystem in which knowledge-based activity is the core booster of employment, economic growth, and competitiveness, universities and, in particular, entrepreneurial universities play either the role of knowledge production and dissemination. The present work aims to understand the role of education (formal and entrepreneurship) on entrepreneurial activity combined with heterogeneous individual characteristics and different cultures and geographies. Specifically, the study identifies substitution and complementary effects among both types of education according to individual taxonomies. © 2021 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.

Abstract
Worldwide, family businesses are one of the cornerstones of the entrepreneurial fabric, being as a consequence central to growth and development. In a globalized era, these institutions require the attention of businessmen, practitioners, and policymakers. The chapter seeks to examine if the internationalization performance does vary according to firm size, and its link to the innovative performance in multiple dimensions along with conventional characteristics such as age and turnover. Theoretical research evidences the interest in understanding the patterns and determinants of the internationalisation performance, given its importance in firm growth and survival; however, this strategical option brings advantages and problems. Empirical evidence demonstrates that the determinants do change according to firm dimension; estimations provide valuable insights about the connection between globalized operation and innovation, for the different organisations. © 2021 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.