USA, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
For integrating the most central research questions of the field, examining the formation and evolution of new and small firms within a broader sociological research context.
Motivation
Professor Aldrich is an internationally recognized organizational sociologist whose research is characterized by true scientific curiosity combined with methodological rigor and sound use of theory.
He has made major contributions to entrepreneurship research by integrating the most central research questions of the field, examining the formation and evolution of new and small firms within a broader sociological research context.
The evolutionary perspective he has developed has demonstrated the fruitfulness of a strong conceptual framework when skillfully applied to entrepreneurship and small business issues.
Professor Aldrich’s productivity and numerous contributions in other areas of entrepreneurship research are impressive. He has furthered our understanding of the role of ethnicity and gender in organization formation and growth, as well as the role of networks. These studies provide methodological insights about how new businesses should be investigated. Further, he has championed longitudinal research and undertaken cross-cultural projects involving extensive international collaboration.
To summarize, Professor Aldrich’s work has contributed significantly to our understanding of the creation and development of new and small firms, and he represents a role model in demonstrating how a scholar from a core scientific discipline can make crucial contributions to entrepreneurship and small business studies.
Titles, dates and places given above refer to the time of the Award.
Documents
Howard E Aldrich Presentation.pdf
Howard E Aldrich Biography.pdf
Howard E Aldrich Prize Lecture.pdf