Applied Associate Professor of Management Nathan Woolard’s paper “Food Halls as Entrepreneurial Micro-Ecosystems: Exploring Incubation, Placemaking, and Community Impact” was accepted to the Journal of Business Venturing Insights and published online in July. Woolard is passionate about small businesses and serves as the faculty adviser for the JOLT program in The University of Tulsa’s Collins College of Business.
Alongside co-authors Lane Perry of Western Carolina University and Michael Altman of Meredith College, Woolard explores the idea of food halls as entrepreneurial “micro-ecosystems” within his paper. Through analysis of 11 food halls across five U.S. cities, Woolard and his peers observed how these spaces facilitate placemaking and support entrepreneurial growth.
These findings hold promise for the future of similar spaces and the potential of place and partnership in shaping entrepreneurs’ journeys. “I enjoy doing research that has a soul and tells a story,” Woolard said.
He has a passion for listening to the stories of real entrepreneurs and shaping his studies around giving back to them. “What we enjoyed about this paper the most was sending our findings back to our participants so they can use what they learned to design the best practices and resources for their communities,” he said.
The Journal of Business Venturing Insights is a distinguished scholarly journal with an A ranking on the ABDC Journal Quality List with a focus on new and unique ideas within the entrepreneurial landscape. Learn more about entrepreneurial research and activities at UTulsa.