IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bas/econst/y2023i8p142-163.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Use of University Research Products in Entrepreneurial Practice: Specifics According To Size Class of Enterprises and Sectors of Economic Activities

Author

Listed:
  • Silviya Georgieva
  • Maria Vasilska
  • Kostadin Kolarov

Abstract

The partnership between universities and businesses, the transfer of scientific products created in higher education institutions and used in entrepreneurial practice is a source of innovation in a turbulent and highly unpredictable environment. This cooperation provides indisputable benefits not only for scientific and business organisations, but also for the economy and society as a whole. This, as expected, causes significant interest among researchers, as well as national and international institutions. Despite the scientific activity and the emphasized interest, there is a need for additional knowledge regarding the scope and extent of the use of scientific products created by academia, analysed and evaluated through the prism of entrepreneurs. The aim of this paper is to identify whether enterprises’ size and sector affiliation influence the use of university research products in entrepreneurial practice, investigating the companies’ perspective. Therefore 904 companies, operating in Bulgaria, were surveyed through a structured questionnaire. The methods for analysing the empirical data combine exploratory data analysis and confirmatory data analysis, in which the tools of diagrammatic images and contingency tables were used. The results show that as the size of enterprises increases, the use of research products does too, while at the same time, entrepreneurs’ assessment of the need to establish partnerships with universities has a non-linear relation to the size of the enterprise. In addition, smaller businesses were found to be targeting university research products presented in publicly available forms while bigger ones are looking for interactive ways of knowledge transfer. Along with the size of the enterprises, it was found that their economic sector affiliation affects the intensity of cooperation with the academia highlighting as leading the sectors related to knowledge-based services, contrary to the prevailing perception that manufacturing and ITC sectors occupy leading positions.

Suggested Citation

  • Silviya Georgieva & Maria Vasilska & Kostadin Kolarov, 2023. "The Use of University Research Products in Entrepreneurial Practice: Specifics According To Size Class of Enterprises and Sectors of Economic Activities," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 8, pages 142-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:bas:econst:y:2023:i:8:p:142-163
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.iki.bas.bg/Journals/EconomicStudies/2023/2023-8/08_Kostadin-Kolarov.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ankrah, Samuel & AL-Tabbaa, Omar, 2015. "Universities–industry collaboration: A systematic review," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 387-408.
    2. Østergaard, Christian Richter & Drejer, Ina, 2022. "Keeping together: Which factors characterise persistent university–industry collaboration on innovation?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    3. S M Jasimuddin & Z Zhang, 2009. "The symbiosis mechanism for effective knowledge transfer," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(5), pages 706-716, May.
    4. Alla Kirova (Алла Кирова) & Irena Zareva (Ирена Зарева), 2021. "Academic Sphere and Business in Bulgaria: Status and Possibilities for Expansion of Cooperation (Академичната сфера и бизнесът в България: състояние и възможности за разширяване на сътрудничеството) -," ERI-BAS Books, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, number 37:p:1-256, June.
    5. Maurizio Massaro & Andrea Moro & Ewald Aschauer & Matthias Fink, 2019. "Trust, control and knowledge transfer in small business networks," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 267-301, April.
    6. Tether, Bruce S., 2002. "Who co-operates for innovation, and why: An empirical analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 947-967, August.
    7. Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria & Marques, Rosane Argou & Silva, Evando Mirra de Paula e, 2013. "University–industry collaboration and innovation in emergent and mature industries in new industrialized countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 443-453.
    8. Radziwon, Agnieszka & Bogers, Marcel, 2019. "Open innovation in SMEs: Exploring inter-organizational relationships in an ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 573-587.
    9. Bojun Hou & Jin Hong & Xing Shi, 2021. "Efficiency of university–industry collaboration and its determinants: evidence from Chinese leading universities," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 456-485, April.
    10. Esther Wit-de Vries & Wilfred A. Dolfsma & Henny J. Windt & M. P. Gerkema, 2019. "Knowledge transfer in university–industry research partnerships: a review," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 1236-1255, August.
    11. Santoro, Michael D. & Chakrabarti, Alok K., 2002. "Firm size and technology centrality in industry-university interactions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 1163-1180, September.
    12. Sérgio Jesus Teixeira & Pedro Mota Veiga & Cristina Abreu Fernandes, 2019. "The knowledge transfer and cooperation between universities and enterprises," Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4), pages 449-460, October.
    13. Hugo Pinto & Manuel Fernandez-Esquinas & Elvira Uyarra, 2015. "Universities and Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) as Sources of Knowledge for Innovative Firms in Peripheral Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(11), pages 1873-1891, November.
    14. Irena Zareva & Alla Kirova, 2021. "Academia-Business Cooperation in Bulgaria: Problems and Progress Possibilities," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 2, pages 3-21.
    15. Pavitt, Keith, 1984. "Sectoral patterns of technical change: Towards a taxonomy and a theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 343-373, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eom, Boo-Young & Lee, Keun, 2010. "Determinants of industry-academy linkages and, their impact on firm performance: The case of Korea as a latecomer in knowledge industrialization," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 625-639, June.
    2. Lee, Hsing-fen & Miozzo, Marcela, 2019. "Which types of knowledge-intensive business services firms collaborate with universities for innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1633-1646.
    3. Claudia Fuentes & Gabriela Dutrénit, 2016. "Geographic proximity and university–industry interaction: the case of Mexico," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 329-348, April.
    4. Paola Cardamone & Valeria Pupo, 2015. "R&D Cooperation Between Firms And Universities. Some Evidence In Five European Countries," Working Papers 201501, Università della Calabria, Dipartimento di Economia, Statistica e Finanza "Giovanni Anania" - DESF.
    5. Zahoor, Nadia & Al-Tabbaa, Omar, 2020. "Inter-organizational collaboration and SMEs’ innovation: A systematic review and future research directions," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 36(2).
    6. Rachel Levy & Pascale Roux & Sandrine Wolff, 2009. "An analysis of science–industry collaborative patterns in a large European University," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 1-23, February.
    7. Chi-Yo Huang & Min-Jen Yang & Jeen-Fong Li & Hueiling Chen, 2021. "A DANP-Based NDEA-MOP Approach to Evaluating the Patent Commercialization Performance of Industry–Academic Collaborations," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(18), pages 1-26, September.
    8. Hidalgo, Antonio & D'Alvano, Luigi, 2014. "Service innovation: Inward and outward related activities and cooperation mode," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 698-703.
    9. Bekkers, Rudi & Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria, 2008. "Analysing knowledge transfer channels between universities and industry: To what degree do sectors also matter?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 1837-1853, December.
    10. Sara Fernández López & Braulio Pérez Astray & David Rodeiro Pazos & Nuria Calvo, 2015. "Are firms interested in collaborating with universities? An open-innovation perspective in countries of the South West European Space," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 9(4), pages 637-662, December.
    11. Anna Jonsson & Maria Grafström & Mikael Klintman, 2022. "Unboxing knowledge in collaboration between academia and society: A story about conceptions and epistemic uncertainty [De-essentializing the Knowledge Intensive Firm: Reflections on Skeptical Resea," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 49(4), pages 583-597.
    12. Isabel Freitas & Tommy Clausen & Roberto Fontana & Bart Verspagen, 2011. "Formal and informal external linkages and firms’ innovative strategies. A cross-country comparison," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 91-119, February.
    13. Niels Stijn & Frank J. Rijnsoever & Martine Veelen, 2018. "Exploring the motives and practices of university–start-up interaction: evidence from Route 128," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 674-713, June.
    14. Adele Parmentola & Marco Ferretti & Eva Panetti, 0. "Exploring the university-industry cooperation in a low innovative region. What differences between low tech and high tech industries?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-28.
    15. Francesco Aiello & Paola Cardamone & Valeria Pupo, 2019. "New evidence on the firm-university linkages in Europe. The role of meritocratic management practices," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(6), pages 813-828, November.
    16. Tether, Bruce S. & Tajar, Abdelouahid, 2008. "Beyond industry-university links: Sourcing knowledge for innovation from consultants, private research organisations and the public science-base," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6-7), pages 1079-1095, July.
    17. Haus-Reve, Silje & Fitjar, Rune Dahl & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2019. "Does combining different types of collaboration always benefit firms? Collaboration, complementarity and product innovation in Norway," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6), pages 1476-1486.
    18. Roncancio-Marin, Jason & Dentchev, Nikolay & Guerrero, Maribel & Díaz-González, Abel & Crispeels, Thomas, 2022. "University-Industry joint undertakings with high societal impact: A micro-processes approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    19. Segarra-Blasco, Agusti­ & Arauzo-Carod, Josep-Maria, 2008. "Sources of innovation and industry-university interaction: Evidence from Spanish firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1283-1295, September.
    20. Trigo, Alexandre & Vence, Xavier, 2012. "Scope and patterns of innovation cooperation in Spanish service enterprises," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 602-613.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O36 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Open Innovation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bas:econst:y:2023:i:8:p:142-163. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Diana Dimitrova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ikbasbg.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.