Characteristics and outputs of university spin-offs in the United Kingdom

Research on the formal role of universities in stimulating regional economic development is relatively recent. However, the role of universities in contributing to regional technological and service variety is underresearched. In this study, we use a data set that has wide geographic coverage. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the UK-wide contribution of university spin-offs (USOs) to the innovation capacity of their host regional economies. We argue that the survival and growth of USOs imply embeddedness in innovation ecosystems in a region. The findings show that the majority of firms in the sample are relatively young, small in size, and are still at the early stages of their life cycle. Hence, the products and services that are offered are fairly small in number. Nevertheless, their products/services based on university research have the potential for value capture by other firms thus implying contributions to a range of related and unrelated industry sectors within a region or beyond the local

A Conceptual Examination of Distrusting Beliefs in Older Adults about the Internet

Older adults are adopting the Internet in increasing numbers today. At the same time they are also experiencing uncertainties about their safety and information privacy on this medium. Several media reports have shown a rising number of incidents involving older Internet user, that indicate lack of awareness of Internet-related security and privacy issues. This conceptual paper provides a framework to help understand the reasons why older adults might distrust the commercial websites in general. Based on established theoretical frameworks about trust, distrust and aging-based technology adoption challenges, we develop several postulates to explain distrusting beliefs that can result in precautious Internet behavior. Implications of this framework will be found in building educational programs and interventions for the population over the age of 55

Geography & Entrepreneurship: Managing Growth and Change

This introduction to the special issue “Geography & Entrepreneurship: Managing Growth and Change” in the Journal of The Knowledge Economy includes a collection of seven papers. Through theoretical and empirical research, this special issue aims to clarify the connection between geography and entrepreneurship. In doing so, growth strategies and change trajectories of countries, regions, and firms are analyzed. The papers use extensive data that enable the models to provide a rich picture of how academic institutions, companies, and regional governments contribute to regional development. As a result, these studies provide new perspectives on regional entrepreneurial transformation. Theoretical perspectives, methodologies, and their application to several contexts provide an advancement of our understanding about Geography and Entrepreneurship. Perspectives on R&D and knowledge, internationalization strategies, high-growth businesses, technological entrepreneurs, university spin-offs, transnational entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial networks are dominant themes included in this special issue. A brief description of the authors’ contributions is offered to attract a broader readership.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Firm heterogeneity in biotech: absorptive capacity, strategies, and local-regional connections

This paper focuses on the characteristics of biotech firms with various levels of research and development (R&D) activity. It is done by exploring the relationship between R&D intensity, alliances and the extent of regionalization of firms' activities using evidence from a survey of US-based biotechnology firms. We profile two firm prototypes: research-oriented firms and product-oriented firms, focusing on their characteristics, strategies and operations. These include activities devoted to exploration and exploitation through alliances with universities (more exploration) and with pharmaceutical companies (exploration and exploitation), and locational needs which facilitate both exploration and exploitation

Innovation capacity in the healthcare sector and historical anchors: examples from the UK, Switzerland and the US

Innovation is an integral part of economic development in developed economies. In the post 2008 period, a key policy agenda is that of sustainable development, which calls for innovation in all aspects of value-chains. In this paper, we focus on innovation from the biotech—pharma perspective to see whether or not this will lead to a sustainable future for the regions where there are clusters of firms in this sector. We examine data from a recently completed European Union study of innovation in the Healthcare sector from the UK and Switzerland, countries with an historical base in pharma, to understand how innovation pathways vary at the regional level in the broader life sciences, which incorporate biotech and more. Innovation in the healthcare sector in two regions, Oxfordshire in the UK and Zurich in Switzerland are compared. We contextualize our discussion by drawing on studies that focus on the sector in the US, specifically Boston. The analytical framework comprises three elements: innovation systems and national and regional economic development theories are the first two, followed by approaches which consider organizational or institutional activity. This framework is used to help explain and understand the complexity of how innovation is organized at the sub-national level. The overall context is that it is increasing becoming a condition for government financing of research that it has more immediate application in industry or have the possibility of commercialisation (e.g., translational research)

The Small and Medium Sized Exporters' Problems: An Empirical Analysis of Canadian Manufacturers

BAGCHI-SEN S. (1999) The small and medium sized exporters' problems: an empirical analysis of Canadian manufacturers, Reg. Studies 33 , 231-245. This paper examines the competitive characteristics of small and medium sized manufacturers from small towns and cities in southern Ontario. The paper is situated within the context of two bodies of theoretical literature. The first is the literature on the dilemmas faced by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in small open economies, especially in an era of trade liberalization. The second body of literature involves the role and nature of SMEs in employment growth, trade and innovation. A particular focus of this study is to understand the relationship between export orientation and innovation performance. The study is based on a survey of SMEs in the Niagara region, a mature industrial region in the periphery of Toronto. Results confirm that successful exporters from these small urban places are also actively involved in both product and process innovation. As a result, competitive advantage is based on both price and non-price based factors. Competitive problems include issues related to scale economies and the rising import competition from US producers in the post FTA and NAFTA period. Successful entrepreneurs from this region are not only pushing forward with innovation, but strive to become leaders within their market segment. Future studies will focus upon: cross-border comparisons of SMEs with regards to the relationship between innovation and export performance; competitive strategies and technical problems; and innovation and export market development efforts in other countries of the Asia-Pacific region. BAGCHI-SEN S. (1999) Les problemes auxquels font face les PMI a vocation exportatrice: une analyse empirique des industriels au Canada, Reg. Studies 33 , 231-245. Cet article cherche a examiner les traits concurrentiels des petites et moyennes entreprises industrielles situees aux villes de l'est de l'Ontario. L'article embrasse deux corpus de documentation theorique. Primo, la documentation qui traite des problemes auxquels font face les PMI dans les petites economies ouvertes, surtout a l'heure de la liberalisation des echanges. Secundo, la documentation qui traite du role et des caracteristiques des PMI quant a la creation de l'emploi, le commerce et l'innovation. Cette etude porte notamment sur le rapport entre la vocation exportatrice et la capacite d'innover. L'etude provient d'une enquete des PMI situees dans la region de Niagara, une region industrielle developpee a la peripherie de Toronto. Les resultats confirment que les exportateurs reussis qui proviennent de ces petites zones urbaines s'engagent serieusement aussi dans l'innovation des produits et des procedes. Par la suite, l'avantage competitif s'explique et par des facteurs de prix et par d'autres facteurs. Les problemes de competitivite embrassent des questions qui se rapportent aux economies d'echelle et a la concurrence de plus en plus vive des industriels aux EU au lendemain de la FTA et de la NAFTA. Les entrepreneurs reussis de cette region n'ont pas seulement le merite de faire valoir l'innovation, mais aussi s'efforcent de devenir leader au sein de leur secteur. Des etudes futures porteront sur des comparaisons transfrontalieres des PMI quant au rapport entre l'innovation et l'exportation; les strategies competitives et les problemes techniques; l'innovation et la promotion a l'exportation dans d'autres pays de la zone asiatique, pacifique. BAGCHI-SEN S. (1999) Probleme kleiner und mittelgrosser Exportfirmen: eine empirische Analyse kanadischer Hersteller, Reg. Studies 33 , 231-245. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Wettbewerbseigenschaften kleiner und mittelgrosser Hersteller in Klein- und Grossstadten von Sudontario. Der Aufsatz ist im Zusammenhang zweier Gebiete der theoretischen Literatur angesiedelt: das einebeschaftigt sich mit den Dilemmas, denen kleine und mittelgrosse Unternehmen (small and medium sized enterprises=SME) sich in kleinen, offenen Wirtschaftssystem ausgesetzt sehen, besonders in einem Zeitalter der Handelsliberalisierung, wahrend es sich bei dem anderen um Rolle und Natur kleiner und mittlerer Firmen bei Beschaftigungsanstieg, Handel und Innovation dreht. Diese Studie konzentriert sich vorallem auf das Verhaltnis zwischen der Ausrichtung auf Export und Durchfuhrung von Innovationen. Sie beruht auf der Untersuchung kleiner und mittlerer Firmen im Niagaragebiet, einem voll entwickelten Industriegebiet am Rande Torontos. Die Ergebnisse bestatigen, dass erfolgreiche Exportfirmen in diesen Kleinstadten auch aktiv in Produkt- und Verarbeitungsinnovation engagiert sind. Daraus ergibt sich, dass Wettbewerbsvorteile sowohl auf Preisfaktoren beruhen wie auch auf anderen, ausserhalb des Preises liegenden. Wettbewerbsprobleme entstehen durch Fragen, die mit der Wirtschaftlichkeit des Betriebsumfangs zu tun haben, mit dem sich verscharfenden Importwettbewerb von Herstellern in den USA im Gefolge des FTA and NAFTA Zeitalters. Erfolgreiche Unternehmer dieses drangen nicht nur auf Innovation, sondern bemuhen sich daruberhinaus, auf ihrem Marktsektor fuhrend zu werden. Zukunftige Untersuchungen werden sich auf grenzuberschreitende Vergleiche kleiner und mittelgrosser Firmen im Hinblick auf das Verhaltnis von Innovation und Expertleistung; auf Wettbewerbsstrategien und technische Probleme; auf Innovation und Anstrengungen bei der Entwicklung von Exportmarkten in anderen Landern der asiatischen-pazifischen Region konzentrieren.Canadian Exporters, Small And Medium Sized Manufacturers, Export Barriers, Product Innovatio, Competitive Strategies,

Business strategy and innovation spaces in Asia

This paper presents a conceptual framework for why business strategy is related to the context of expanding market and technological opportunities in Asia.This paper was presented at the conference: Business strategy and innovation spaces in Asia was held in Gothenburg, Sweden, organized by IIE, 20-22 Feb 2013

Introduction to Innovation Spaces in Asia

This chapter introduces our concept of innovation spaces in Asia. Chapters in this provide a new perspective, and also help nuance our imagery and stereotypes about innovation in Asia. This chapter indicates the structural change. FInally, an overview of each chapter is given

Innovation Spaces in Asia: Entrepreneurs, Multinational Enterprises and Policy

The chapters provide rich empirical illustrations about on-going processes of innovation, where the Asian context can be seen in the specific cases as having an impact upon firms and sectors with implications for economic change and socio-political transformation. This book is about Asia as the site of business, where customers, institutions, and firms, both domestic and foreign, are interacting to affect global processes of innovation and production.This book aims to provide an empirical understanding and initial conceptualization of innovation spaces in Asia, including the role of multinational enterprises, entrepreneurship and public polic