Introduction and overview of the Handbook

This chapter introduces the Handbook of Research on Entrepreneurship and Conflict. It motivates the Handbook, referring to the fact that entrepreneurship has a complex, ambiguous, and changing role in human society, and one that can only be properly understood if its relationship with conflict is better understood. Current research on entrepreneurship tend to neglect this dark side of entrepreneurship and the destructive role that entrepreneurship can play in driving conflict. The chapter then defines the core concepts in this Handbook, which are that of entrepreneurship, and that of conflict. The basic literature which underpins most chapters is briefly introduced and an overview given of the structure of the book and the contributions made by each of the chapters. The chapter concludes by outlining areas for further research.