Exploring the role of U.K. Government policy in developing the university entrepreneurial finance ecosystem for Cleantech

Vast sums of public money are invested into universities globally as anchor institutions and knowledge bases providing seedbed resources for research and development (R&D) and entrepreneurship. Focusing on university science and technology (S&T) research we examine two UK case studies of government support from the ‘Innovation Knowledge Centre’ (IKC) program to translate research into industry innovation for public good. Although IKCs are not tasked to address Climate Change, the two case studies demonstrate tremendous potential for Cleantech development. An exploratory entrepreneurial finance (‘entfin’) ecosystem theoretical lens contextualizes the catalytic roles of universities and public funding to support industry at the base of the innovation finance escalator. We thus develop university-industry ecosystems literature, addressing the gap in nurturing university entfin for climate change. Our qualitative case study methodology includes literature review and 51 key informant interviews with: policymakers; university research leaders, technology transfer officers, specialist research to industry innovation ‘translation’ staff, SME beneficiaries, trade bodies; and early-stage private finance providers. We reveal nuances in different emerging innovation sectors – notably their degree of maturity, locality and outcome horizons for achieving impact, drawing attention to the key roles of universities and financing and their interactions within their entfin ecosystems. We demonstrate the need for government long horizon, deep pocket, investment and integrated university entfin policy mix, alongside more open, inclusive, ecosystem development between different actors

The role of the university entrepreneurial ecosystem in entrepreneurial finance: case studies of UK innovation knowledge centres

How to commercialize university research and create positive socio-economic impact is a fundamental research question that is under explored. Considerable public funds are invested in universities globally to create knowledge and then to explore its viability to exploit commercial value through supporting entrepreneurship. We explore how publicly funded research and commercialization of projects promote university’s science and technology (S&T) initiatives. Qualitative case studies, involving 45 interviews, examine three UK government-funded Innovation Knowledge Centres’ (IKCs) roles in commercializing three different emerging disruptive technologies: cyber security, digital construction and synthetic biology. An improved entrepreneurial finance (“entfin”) ecosystem is the catalyst to promote innovation, through public funds to empower industry and deliver an effective finance escalator. A “WHO” policy analysis framework examines: the “Why” rationale for public investment; “How” process of translation; and “Outcomes”. This identified how Entrepreneurial Finance combined with Intermediaries, Infrastructure, Training and Leadership impacts scientific research commercialization. We reveal several inter connectors that link maturity of projects, their locality and outcome horizons. Universities play an important intermediary role, regionally and globally to connect the wider entfin ecosystems. The conclusions suggest that government needs to improve the policy mix across university ecosystem actors to improve long horizon investment

Service quality, satisfaction, and customer loyalty in Airbnb accommodation in Thailand

This paper investigates service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in Airbnb accommodation. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to a non-probability sample of 202 international tourists in Phuket, Thailand, which is one of the top tourist destinations worldwide. The results verify that a positive relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty exists, and that satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between service quality and loyalty. Furthermore, the paper suggests key steps managers could take to enhance customer experience in a way that would benefit the lodgings industry and the destinations

Unraveling the diverse nature of service quality in a sharing economy: a social exchange theory perspective of Airbnb accommodation

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Emerald in International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management on 11/09/2017, available online: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-08-2016-0420 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.Purpose- This study investigates customers’ perceptions of the service quality facets of Airbnb accommodation using social exchange theory as a suitable conceptual framework to explain aspects of interactivity between guests and hosts. Design/methodology/approach- A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 25 accommodation- specific service quality attributes, structured according to Akbaba’s (2006) measurement scale and based on the service quality hierarchical conceptualization described by Brady and Cronin (2001) and Cronin and Taylor (1992), was distributed to Airbnb international guests visiting Phuket, Thailand. The sample was chosen through a two-stage sampling process and the PLS-SEM technique was used for data analysis. Findings- The results showed that convenience and assurance are critical contributors to the measurement of service quality in remote Airbnb lodgings. The findings further revealed that Airbnb guests are mainly interested in lodgings which have access to certain tourist sights, and in easily accessible information and efficient resolution of problems during their stay. We also found that guests greatly value the convenience and flexibility offered by Airbnb, and that they particularly appreciate the warm hospitality provided by the hosts. Finally, Airbnb guests have very low expectations of the amenities and services available at the lodgings. Research limitations/implications-Airbnb is one of the most well-known examples of hospitality in the sharing economy and results cannot be generalized to similar accommodation providers in sharing economies. Despite the appropriateness of using the measurement tool provided by Akbaba (2006), it is only one option among others for measuring service quality. Practical implications- The current study can assist hosts in gaining better knowledge of guests’ decision making processes and in designing effective marketing strategies by focusing on guests’ requirements in terms of service quality. The effective use of competitive strengths and the prioritization of business resources would potentially enhance guests’ positive experiences at the accommodation and at the destination. Originality/value-Limited numbers of studies have focused on the sharing economy and hospitality and in particular on Airbnb and this is the first study with a focus on service quality issues in terms of Airbnb accommodation

Enterprise systems benefit framework for medium sized manufacturing businesses in the UK

This study aims to develop an Enterprise Systems benefit framework by identifying the benefits accrued by Medium Sized Manufacturing Businesses from the adoption of Enterprise Systems. For this study, Enterprise Systems consist of ERP, CRM and e-Procurement. Through a critical literature review, a conceptual model is proposed which classifies the benefits as cost reduction, time reduction and quality improvement. Through ten case studies the proposed model was enhanced to a framework that groups the benefits as Procurement & Forecasting, Manufacturing & Logistics, Sales, Marketing & Customer Service, IT infrastructure, organisational benefits