Partnerships,Configurations and Dynamics in the Creation and Development of SMEs by Researchers

Abstract

This paper analyses the nature of high-tech firms created by academic researchers and the key factors that lead to their successful evolution. The author bases his remarks on a survey of 250 French high-tech companies with their origins in public research centres. He argues against the stereotypical representation of the academic as a poor entrepreneur and identifies common characteristics and expertise required by academic research workers and managers of high-tech SMEs. He demonstrates that the spin-off companies which have developed most successfully have been those with the greatest ability to bring into play a wide range of resources and skills, working through partnerships and networks, at local, national and international levels.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bonaccorsi

Piccaluga

, ‘A theoretical framework for the evaluation of university—industry relationships', R&D Management, Vol 24, No 3, July 1994.

Carayannis

Rogers

Kurihara

Allbritton

‘High-technology spin-offs from government R&D laboratories and research universities', Technovation, Vol 18, No 1 1998, PP 1–11

Etzkowitz

, 'Entrepreneurial scientists and entrepreneurial universities in American science’, Minerva, Vol 21,1983, pp 198–233.

Etzkowitz

Leydesdorff

, eds, Universities and the Global Knowledge Economy: A Triple Helix of University—Industry—Government Relations, Pinter, London, 1997.

Gibson

D.V.

Smilor

R.W.

, ‘The role of the research university in creating and sustaining the US technopolis’, in Brett

A.M.

Gibson

D.V.

Smilor

R.W.

, eds, University Spin-Off Companies: Economic Development, Faculty Entrepreneurs and Technology Transfer, Rowman and Littlefield, London, 1991, pp 31–70.

Kenney

, Biotechnology: The University—Industrial Complex, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, and London, 1988.

Laredo

, Technological programmes and the European Union’, in Universities and the Global Knowledge Economy: A Triple Helix of University—Industry—Government Relations, Pinter, London, 1997, pp 33–43.

Mansfield

, 'Academic research underlying industrial innovations: Sources, characteristics, and financing’, The Review of Economics and Statistics, 1995.

Mustar

Ph.

, ‘How French academics create hi-tech companies: The conditions for success or failure’, Science and Public Policy, Vol 24, No 1, February 1997.

10.

Piccaluga

, 'From profs to profits: How Italian academics generate high technology ventures', Creativity and Innovation Management, Vol 1, No 2, June 1992.

11.

Rosenberg

, 'Scientific instruments and university research’, Research Policy, Vol 21,1992, pp 381–390.

12.

Rosenberg

Nelson

, ‘American universities and technical advance in industry’, Research Policy, Vol 23, 1994.

13.

Stankiewicz

, Academic Entrepreneurs, Pinter, London, 1986.

14.

Stankiewicz

, 'Spin-off companies from universities', Science and Public Policy, Vol 21, No 2, April 1994.

15.

Stephan

P.E.

, ‘Capitalizing human capital: The case in biotechnology’, paper prepared for the Third Global Workshop on Small Business Economics, Rotterdam, pp. 25–27 August 1994.