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Sources of Knowledge Used by Entrepreneurial Firms in the European High-Tech Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Sara Amoroso

    (European Commission - JRC)

  • David B. Audretsch

    (Indiana University)

  • Albert N. Link

    (Bryan School of Business and Economics University of North Carolina-Greensboro)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between an entrepreneur’s experience and education and his/her reliance on alternative sources of knowledge for exploring new business opportunities. The extant literature that is at the crossroads between sources of knowledge and the experiential and intellectual base of an entrepreneur (i.e., dimensions of his/her human capital) suggests that it is through experience and through education that an entrepreneur obtains knowledge. Using information on a sample of high-tech manufacturing firms across 10 European countries, we explore heterogeneities in the influence of experience, age, and education of the firm’s primary founder on the perceived importance of (i.e., use of) alternative sources of knowledge. We find that the association of these characteristics differs significantly across sources of knowledge, and across European regions. Education is positively related to the importance of knowledge from research institutes and internal know-how, while age is negatively related to the importance of research institutes and positively related to publications and conferences. On the one hand, in South/East European countries, the importance of internal know-how is positively associated with age and education, but negatively associated with experience. On the other hand, the characteristics of primary founders of North/West European firms are more linked to the importance of the participation to funded research programmes. This source of knowledge is related positively with age and education and negatively with experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Sara Amoroso & David B. Audretsch & Albert N. Link, 2017. "Sources of Knowledge Used by Entrepreneurial Firms in the European High-Tech Sector," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2017-03, Joint Research Centre.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipt:wpaper:201703
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Rajeev K. Goel, 2023. "Seek foreign funds or technology? Relative impacts of different spillover modes on innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1466-1488, August.
    4. Andriy Shtangret & Nataliia Korogod & Sofia Bilous & Nataliia Hoi & Yurii Ratushniak, 2021. "Management of Economic Security in the High-Tech Sector in the Context of Post-Pandemic Modernization," Postmodern Openings, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 535-552, July.
    5. Desislava Yordanova & José António Filipe & Manuel Pacheco Coelho, 2020. "Technopreneurial Intentions among Bulgarian STEM Students: The Role of University," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Albert N. Link & Cody A. Morris & Martijn Hasselt, 2021. "The impact of the third sector of R&D on the innovative performance of entrepreneurial firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1413-1418, October.
    7. Ángel Rodríguez-López & Jaime E. Souto, 2020. "Empowering entrepreneurial capacity: training, innovation and business ethics," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(1), pages 23-43, March.
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    9. Alice Civera & Michele Meoli & Silvio Vismara, 2019. "Do academic spinoffs internationalize?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 381-403, April.
    10. Pu Liu & Yingying Shao, 2022. "Innovation and new business formation: the role of innovative large firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 691-720, August.
    11. Diego Matricano & Mario Sorrentino, 2021. "Does Love Money Affect Vocational Behavior? Empirical Evidence from Italian Entrepreneurs," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 14(7), pages 110-110, July.
    12. Sara Amoroso & Albert N. Link, 2021. "Intellectual property protection mechanisms and the characteristics of founding teams," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(9), pages 7329-7350, September.
    13. Kazekami, Sachiko, 2020. "Mechanisms to improve labor productivity by performing telework," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    14. David B. Audretsch & Albert N. Link & Martijn Hasselt, 2019. "Knowledge begets knowledge: university knowledge spillovers and the output of scientific papers from U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(3), pages 1367-1383, December.
    15. AMOROSO Sara & AUDRETSCH David, 2020. "The role of gender in linking external sources of knowledge and R&D intensity," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2020-05, Joint Research Centre.
    16. Erik Lehmann & Stefano Paleari & Enrico Santarelli & Silvio Vismara, 2018. "Editorial note: special issue on comparative entrepreneurship," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(1), pages 33-35, March.
    17. Link, Albert & Sarala, Riikka, 2019. "Advancing Conceptualization of University Entrepreneurship Ecosystems: The Role of Knowledge-based Entrepreneurial Firms," UNCG Economics Working Papers 19-1, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics.
    18. Job Rodrigo-Alarcón & Gloria Parra-Requena & María José Ruiz-Ortega, 2020. "Cognitive social capital and absorptive capacity as antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation: a configurational approach," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(4), pages 493-517, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; Knowledge; Experience; Education; Human Capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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