Paul Dettwiler, Peter Lindelöf and Hans Löfsten
What effect do different business environments, caused primarily by changes in GDP, have on property management of growth firms?
Abstract
Purpose
What effect do different business environments, caused primarily by changes in GDP, have on property management of growth firms?
Design/methodology/approach
This paper investigates the dynamic effects of two successive periods on property management variables with data from 387 Swedish growth firms during the six year period of 1998‐2003. The variables cover two three‐year time periods: 1998‐2000 (high growth of GDP) and 2001‐2003 (low growth of GDP). The empery originates from a quantitative survey with variables related to: office areas; affiliation changes (events of M&A, outsourcing of core business has occurred) and if those events have changed the total use of office space; use of temporary staff and staff that works in office area; flexibility of contracts; propensity to rent office space and location events. Dramatic changes of GDP are here associated to the dynamic effects of the business environment that have implications on property management variables of the two periods.
Findings
The two periods themselves correlate strongly to each other. The results reveal correlations between down turn‐business period and variables that describe the hiring temporary staff; propensity to rent office spaces; significance of flexible contracts; office location in rural area and relocation frequency.
Research limitations/implications
The survey is limited geographically to Sweden with strict growth criteria. The findings argue for a behaviour among growth firms that responds to changes in business environment into property management decisions.
Practical implications
Dramatic changes in GDP influence growth firms behaviour of renting office spaces; down turn of GDP is likely related in particular to increase of rented offices space.
Originality/value
Empery from an extensive survey of growth firms of an entire country with focus on property management variables during two distinct periods regarding GDP.
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Anderson Galvão, Carla Marques, Mário Franco and Carla Mascarenhas
Based on resource dependence theory and the concept of interlocking directorates, the purpose of this paper is to understand the importance of networks for start-ups and the role…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on resource dependence theory and the concept of interlocking directorates, the purpose of this paper is to understand the importance of networks for start-ups and the role incubators play in these companies’ networking processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with the entrepreneurs responsible for three start-ups and the heads of their incubators. The interview data were subjected to content analysis using NVivo software.
Findings
The results indicate that start-ups often resort to networks to overcome their weak reputations and scarce resources. Incubators play a quite important role in this process since they promote events that encourage the creation of partnerships and networks either between start-ups within the same incubator or with external institutions. In addition, the results reveal that most cooperation networks are informal and that they fulfil needs that start-ups are not yet able to meet themselves, for example, when they compete for public tenders.
Practical implications
The present study explored this topic from two perspectives (i.e. start-ups and incubators). This approach facilitated the identification of the main features upon which start-ups depend, the entities to which these companies turn for help, the kind of communication in which they usually engage, the primary advantages of establishing cooperation networks and the main types of support given by incubators.
Originality/value
Most studies of cooperation networks are based on transaction cost economics, a resource-based perspective and/or institutional theory. In contrast, this study innovated by applying resource dependence theory and the concept of interlocking directorates, which provided an alternative explanation regarding cooperation networks’ importance to start-ups and incubators’ roles in these companies’ networking processes.
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Bala Subrahmanya Mungila Hillemane, Krishna Satyanarayana and Deepak Chandrashekar
Technology business incubators (TBIs) form an indispensable part of an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the promotion of tech start-ups across the global economy. However, they have…
Abstract
Purpose
Technology business incubators (TBIs) form an indispensable part of an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the promotion of tech start-ups across the global economy. However, they have evolved in varied forms over a period of time, in terms of typologies, sponsors and stakeholders, goals and objectives, functions and services offered, process of incubation support provided through hard and soft infrastructure, outcomes and achievements and even in terms of theoretical bases. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to review the extant literature on TBIs to arrive at a framework that explains how TBIs contribute to start-up generation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews extant empirical literature for a systematic evaluation to throw light on the various dimensions of TBIs: typology, goals and objectives, functions and services, process and provision of incubation support, outcomes and achievements. Further, after critically reviewing some of the theoretical propositions, it develops a conceptual framework combining pre-incubation, incubation and post-incubation processes of TBIs.
Findings
Based on literature understanding and some of the key theoretical constructs, a conceptual framework is developed comprising pre-incubation, incubation and post-incubation stages of start-up formation and graduation. The paper also identifies some prospective areas for future research.
Research limitations/implications
Any empirical research on technology business incubation must focus on pre-incubation and post-incubation processes as much as on the incubation process, to derive meaningful implications and enhance the productivity of TBIs.
Originality/value
The conceptual framework derived out of the systematic literature review will enable further research and exploration of micro-aspects of pre-incubation, incubation and post-incubation phases across multiple dimensions.
Lucas Bonacina Roldan, Peter Bent Hansen and Domingo Garcia-Perez-de-Lema
Innovation is today considered a competitive differential for improving the performance of companies, and technology parks are seen as environments with favorable conditions for…
Abstract
Purpose
Innovation is today considered a competitive differential for improving the performance of companies, and technology parks are seen as environments with favorable conditions for such innovation. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework for analyzing favorable conditions for innovation in technology parks, the innovations produced and organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
To this end, the authors conducted bibliographic research and in-depth interviews with managers of companies based at the Tecnopuc Science and Technology Park, and managers of the park itself, to establish practical support for previous theoretical findings.
Findings
As a result, a framework was developed to link the favorable conditions for innovation, and organizational performance.
Research limitations/implications
The analysis model proposed here synthesizes the contributions made by several scholars on the theme, allowing for a more detailed and integrated interpretation of the phenomenon, namely, the ways through which the effective development of innovation takes place in companies residing in technology parks and the contribution of innovation to the specific performance of companies.
Practical implications
The use of the proposed framework can help direct park managers’ action towards those relationships or activities that prove to be ineffective in achieving desired goals.
Originality/value
The use of the proposed model in empirical surveys will allow for better understanding of the phenomenon involving the features of technology parks and their effects on innovation and the performance of companies installed there, considering that such parks allow them to access resources with lower transaction costs.
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Angel Meseguer-Martinez, Simona Popa and Pedro Soto-Acosta
Research on Science parks (SPs) has attracted a growing interest in the last decades. This widespread innovation policy initiative pursues technology-based industrial and…
Abstract
Purpose
Research on Science parks (SPs) has attracted a growing interest in the last decades. This widespread innovation policy initiative pursues technology-based industrial and entrepreneurial growth through business development and technology transfer across new and mature firms. Despite the common agreement on SPs' potential benefits, literature have showed mixed results regarding the performance of SPs. To explain this findings, current research pointed out at the lack of a common guiding framework. To cover this knowledge gap, this manuscript proposes an integrative definition and research model together with a multidimensional measurement instrument suitable to encompass the diverse reality of this global phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a systematic literature review of 281 indexed journal articles published between 1990 and 2018, the paper provides an integrative framework of enabling factors of SPs' performance.
Findings
The results illustrate an integrative conceptual framework of SPs that allows further comparison and generalization of research. At the same time, this manuscript provides valuable insights for managers and entrepreneurs as it conveys a standardized view of SPs' internal context useful for benchmarking.
Originality/value
Grounded in the resource-based view (RBV), the paper conducts a thorough literature review to develop an integrative research model featuring three value streams: physical infrastructures, formal links and support services. In addition, a multidimensional measurement tool to operationalize these three dimensions is proposed.
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The focus of this chapter is assessment of effectiveness of support infrastructure for technology-based businesses. The chapter aims to examine the effects of physical…
Abstract
The focus of this chapter is assessment of effectiveness of support infrastructure for technology-based businesses. The chapter aims to examine the effects of physical infrastructure including incubators and science parks on the level of innovation activity and performance of new technology-based firms. It reviews evidence from Western countries comparing various assessments of the impact of science parks on the firms. The chapter is set to examine the development of the science park movement in Russia; it explores the empirical evidence from a case-study university in an attempt to analyse the shortcomings in present state of the support infrastructure in Russia from point of view of technology-based companies.