17th  International Music Business Research Days
‘Music and Entrepreneurship’
Call for Papers: Young Scholars’ Workshop

​For students in MA and PhD programmes, a colloquium – the Young Scholars’ Workshop (YSW) – will be held as part of the 17th International Music Business Research Days (IMBRD) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026.

The conference features the following 3 days. This Call for Papers (CFP) is for the Young Scholars’ Workshop:

 

9 September 2026 - Young Scholars’ Workshop

10 September 2026 - Academic Conference Day

11 September 2026 - Industry Day

 

Proposals for papers that explore questions helping us to better understand economic, managerial, cultural, and technological issues in the music business are welcome, as are papers examining the processes, structures, and practices of the music industry and music management more broadly.

There are many open questions in music business research that call for investigation and discussion, for example:

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• What drives innovation in the music business sector?

• How can we scientifically understand and differentiate music business models?

• What do we know about critical success factors? Have success factors changed over time?

• What can we learn about the customer’s willingness to pay for music recordings or related goods?

• Who will control the future music market, e.g., start-ups, major platforms, or tech companies?

• How can we understand the role of brands and the music industry?

• What issues of gender, class, or race exist in a music business context, and how are these issues dealt with?

• What are the issues relating to cultural appropriation?

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In addition, we especially welcome papers related to this year’s conference theme, Music and Entrepreneurship, including:

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• What does it mean to be a self-managed or entrepreneurial musician in today’s music economy?

• How do new entrepreneurial approaches shape music careers, companies, and communities?

• What opportunities and risks arise from new financing models such as crowdfunding, catalogue sales, or venture capital?

• How can music business research support the development of innovative and sustainable entrepreneurial models?

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This list of research questions is not exhaustive, and papers may also address other aspects of music business research.

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The workshop organisers, Dr. Guy Morrow (University of Melbourne), Prof. Dr. Peter Tschmuck (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna) and Prof. Dr. Carsten Winter (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media) strongly encourage submissions from students at the levels of MA & PhD. Students are expected to present on their MA or PhD thesis research and will have the opportunity to discuss it with senior researchers within the field of music business research.

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Abstracts (approx. 200-300 words) are due by June 17th, 2026, and full papers (15-30 pages) are due by August 19th, 2026. Only abstracts and papers submitted on time will be considered. 

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A maximum of 6-8 papers will be selected for presentation to guarantee a workshop atmosphere. The sessions will combine paper presentations and discussions including interactive elements.

 

Please email your submission to president@imbra.info

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Paper proposals and final papers must be submitted as pdf documents and should include contact information, University affiliation, e-mail address, telephone number and postal address of the author(s).

 

International Music Business Research Association

www.imbra.info