GEM research is the most credible source of global entrepreneurship data. The research from 170,000+ annual interviews is featured in GEM Global Reports, National Reports and Special Topic Reports. Authoring one report is a great accomplishment. Hence why it is all the more impressive that Donna Kelley from the GEM USA and GEM Saudi Arabia Teams is set to author her 40th GEM report with the upcoming GEM USA National Report.
Kelley has been part of GEM since 2007, when she was asked to join the GEM board by co-founder Bill Bygrave. Since then, she has co-authored 40 reports (Global, 7; USA, 13; Saudi Arabia, 6; Korea Republic, 1; Sub-Saharan Africa, 1; Women’s Entrepreneurship, 4; Saudi Arabia Women, 3; Innovation, Entrepreneurial Employees in partnership with the World Economic Forum, 2; Education and Training, 1; Family, 1; and Miami Ecosystem, 1).
Kelley reflected on her illustrious career with GEM in the below Q and A.
Can you share your thoughts about reaching the milestone of authoring your 40th GEM report?
When I think about all the reports authored by our GEM colleagues since the first survey in 1999, 40 seems like a relatively small number. The 40 that I’ve co-authored span a wide range of geographies and topics. The rigorous, comprehensive research conducted by our national teams and global technical team have resulted in the most commonly used database for academic researchers, increased understanding and influenced actions about entrepreneurship around the world.
What motivated you to become involved with GEM?
Bill Bygrave was a role model for me since I was a doctoral student. He was the father of entrepreneurship at Babson, along with Jeff Timmons. He was so accomplished and influential in the emergence of the entrepreneurship field of academics, yet so humble and caring. To be truthful, when asked by other GEM members about getting involved with the project, I said no because I was publishing in other research areas. When Bill asked me though, I couldn’t say no. Little did I know then that it would be one of the best decisions I made in my Babson career.
How do you balance the demands of authoring multiple reports with other professional responsibilities as a professor at Babson?
I just completed a three-year commitment as Chair of the Entrepreneurship Department, overseeing 25 full-time faculty and 10 part-time. We put a lot of work into teaching, research and service at Babson, and there are no shortages of opportunities coming to the college and from our colleagues, so one has to be careful to prioritize. I enjoy working on GEM reports, so it almost seems like they’re not work. They reveal so many research ideas, and I’m looking forward to pursuing some of these as I take a sabbatical this fall.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey with GEM so far?
Having friends from around the world, getting to know different cultures and appreciating the uniqueness of different economies.
How have you seen GEM reports influence policymaking and decision-making?
GEM is seen as a trusted source of research, and we have documented cases of GEM’s influence on policy. But we know that GEM goes further than we have seen, influencing how a range of people – policymakers, governments, NGOs, educators, researchers, practitioners –think and act toward entrepreneurship. The media also plays a role in shaping understanding and attitudes so their participation in the release of reports is essential.
Over the years, what significant trends or changes have you observed in the global entrepreneurship landscape through GEM’s research?
There has been greater visibility of entrepreneurship in many economies. I have also seen improvements in many economies in areas such as societal attitudes, self-perceptions and participation of women. Before GEM, there wasn’t much global-level understanding of entrepreneurship. Our reports and the proliferation of academic research studies using GEM have advanced this understanding.
What are your future goals as a GEM researcher?
To connect with current issues. For example, in 2021 we wrote an HBR.org article on Black women entrepreneurs that went viral and was referenced by many news outlets and other organizations, and we received an email from Sheryl Sandberg, then COO of Facebook (now META). This was an important issue at the time, with news stories about killings of Black people and after we had just elected Kamala Harris as Vice President. The GEM reports are full of findings that can be explored further and connected to current concerns. I’m also looking forward to working on academic articles during my sabbatical!
Access follow-up article in which Donna Kelley shares her tips for writing GEM Reports.