Universities and Science Parks : Engagements and Interactions in Developing and Attracting Talent

Many studies have shown that they have ceased to be mere facilitators of physical spaces to become important providers of services and resources to their tenants. Universities situated in or next to them play a key role in getting engaged in the development and the attraction of talent to Science Parks, to their tenant firms as well as to the region. Considering that skilled professionals are one of the resources that companies seek the most, Science Parks have dedicated numerous activities and means to become even more attractive to talented individuals, who can especially be found in entrepreneurial universities. In this study, we review the literature regarding the interactions existing between Science Parks or their tenants and their local universities. Talent attraction and entrepreneurship issues are addressed as the building blocks of these interactions. We strive to identify types of interactions that could differ in function of the maturity levels of the firms since their aims are not the same: at an early stage, firms tend to focus more on growth, whereas at a later stage, they tend to focus more on their development. We then point out policy implications, concerning both entrepreneurial or engaged universities and Science Parks

The domains of intellectual capital: an integrative discourse across perspectives

This chapter explores the domains of intellectual capital (IC) more commonly known as human, organisation and social capital. This theoretical analysis draws together these three disciplinary domains through an integrative discourse in terms of leveraging accumulative resources, connecting complementary themes and distinguishing between interdependent cognitions and behaviours. It seeks to answer scholarly concerns that the IC construct is vague and misleading, resulting in erroneous and generalised relationships. The chapter adopts a theoretical lens and explores complementary discourses of the relationships between human capital (HC), human capital resources (HCR), organisational capital and social capital (SC). For HC and HCR, the discussions build on the resource-based view and the micro-foundations approaches in the strategy literature, where recent research has explored linkages between HCR and competitive advantage. The SC literature is outlined and the discourse between internal SC and external SC is spelled out. The discourses between the domains suggest that through a process of emergence, firms can develop dynamic capabilities that enable them to achieve competitive advantage in factor markets. In light of this, the chapter builds on and complements other recent research that has extended scholarly concerns about the lack of an integrative framework by which the IC linkages and variables can be developed and tested

Chapter 6 SMEs’ Export Performance in Algeria: A Configuration Approach

Succeeding in export markets remains a challenging task for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in developing countries. Empirical studies from these regions on SMEs’ internationalisation remain scarce bringing contrasting evidence to those emerging from developed countries. To increase understanding on these issues, the present study adopts a novel fuzzy-set comparative analysis technique to investigate the combination(s) of different resource factors driving Algerian SMEs’ export performance. Using a sample of 103 exporters, the study identifies two distinct resource configurations likely to boost SMEs export performance. The present study holds important implications for the internationalisation literature and the export promotion organisations in developing countries