Nascent entrepreneurship and inventive activity: a somewhat new perspective

This paper focuses on the nexus between nascent entrepreneurship (NE) and inventive activity. It questions how NE affects inventive activity (including innovation and patenting) while analyzing the views and predictions that have used patenting as an indicator of entrepreneurial behavior. Using data on German researchers and controlling for their personal, professional and institutional attributes, the findings show that NE increases both patenting and innovation. Implications for technology policy are discussed

The impact of collaboration diversity and joint experience on the reiteration of university co-patents

Numerous studies have demonstrated the central role of universities in the development of innovation ecosystems, however the literature on the manner in which universities might construct and maintain their R&D collaborations is highly limited. The present study addresses this gap, analyzing the propensity of Italian universities to reiterate co-patenting with other organizations which have been co-applicants of their previous patents. Utilizing multi-level modeling, the study confirms the importance of collaboration diversity in the development of further co-patents, even if its effect changes in accordance with the specific dimension under analysis. Besides, the study demonstrates that joint experience in co-patenting has an inverted U-shaped effect on the development of further co-patents by the same co-applicant organizations. These results suggest the usefulness of a dynamic approach in the analysis of R&D collaborations, which could shed light also to the non-linear and varying impact of cognitive distance on innovation, as highlighted by the previous literature. In general, this study favors a better understanding of value creation and value capture processes in university co-patenting, thus allowing the development of useful policy indications

The UBC ecosystem: putting together a comprehensive framework for university-business cooperation

The potential for a functional ‘triple helix’ to contribute to economic development is being increasingly accepted and embraced, particularly the bilateral relationship between higher education institutions (HEIs) and business. However, university-business cooperation (UBC) is still a fragmented and indistinct field of research, and the understanding of UBC remains inadequate since most research is undertaken around specific elements, rather than as an encompassing, overarching and interconnected system. This paper aims fills this gap in the literature by putting the pieces together to create an integrated and comprehensive conceptual UBC framework for HEIs, the UBC Ecosystem. The framework illustrates the components present in the UBC environment for HEIs, such as inputs, activities, outcomes, outputs, impacts, supporting mechanisms, circumstances and context, specifying a wide range of sub-elements for each of them. In doing so, this paper makes a strong theoretical contribution with the creation of a conceptual framework, highlighting the more important elements and their interrelations as well as suggesting future research. Additionally, the paper makes a practical contribution, establishing a common UBC schema for HEI managers and policymakers to make strategic and operative decisions, and used as a base for evidence-based management and policy