IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jmerit/v2y2022i2p8-100d807386.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Human Resources in Start-Ups: Expert Interviews with Managers on the Transition of Start-Ups from Academic to Private

Author

Listed:
  • Marcel Rolf Pfeifer

    (Department of Management, Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic)

Abstract

This study investigates the changes in team composition in four academic high-tech start-ups and spin-offs. These companies were initiated on academic grounds and had to undergo transition in order to act as private companies. For human resources of all kinds this goes along with a change in the requirements of their skills and their work. This pilot study focused on four high-tech start-ups from Germany and Slovakia that are active and still in transition in the year 2021. Data was obtained with qualitative research methods from managers that were in charge during the transition of the company. During expert interviews, the researchers used semi-structured questionnaires in order to gather data from the managers on particular aspects of spin-off team member skills and requirements. The qualitative results obtained from the managers were compared, showing that with fundamental changes in the business objectives of the company the required management skills and team composition changes from an academic skills portfolio towards a private-sector portfolio. Likewise, a change in the human resource hiring strategy of the spin-offs was found in that stage. However, research also showed that spin-offs seem to undergo two transition phases during their way from an academic research group towards a company based on free market principles.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcel Rolf Pfeifer, 2022. "Human Resources in Start-Ups: Expert Interviews with Managers on the Transition of Start-Ups from Academic to Private," Merits, MDPI, vol. 2(2), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmerit:v:2:y:2022:i:2:p:8-100:d:807386
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/2/2/8/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8104/2/2/8/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marco Ferretti & Salvatore Ferri & Raffaele Fiorentino & Adele Parmentola & Alessandro Sapio, 2020. "What drives the growth of academic spin-offs? Matching academics, universities, and non-research organizations," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 137-163, March.
    2. Christopher S. Hayter & Andrew J. Nelson & Stephanie Zayed & Alan C. O’Connor, 2018. "Conceptualizing academic entrepreneurship ecosystems: a review, analysis and extension of the literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 1039-1082, August.
    3. Pauli Turunen & Esa Hiltunen, 2019. "Empowering Leadership in a University Spin-off Project: A Case Study of Team Building," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 8(3), pages 335-349, December.
    4. Reza Asghari & Britta Kokemper, 2018. "The Impact of Entrepreneurship Governance and Institutional Frameworks on Knowledge-Based Spin-Offs," FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship, in: André Presse & Orestis Terzidis (ed.), Technology Entrepreneurship, pages 225-240, Springer.
    5. Stefania Migliori & Daniel Pittino & Augusta Consorti & Lorenzo Lucianetti, 2019. "The relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation, Market Orientation and Performance in University Spin-Offs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 793-814, September.
    6. Bart Clarysse & Mirjam Knockaert & Andy Lockett, 2007. "Outside Board Members in High Tech Start-ups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 243-259, October.
    7. Roland Helm & Oliver Mauroner, 2007. "Success of research-based spin-offs. State-of-the-art and guidelines for further research," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 237-270, November.
    8. Doutriaux, Jerome, 1992. "Emerging high-tech firms: How durable are their comparative start-up advantages?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 7(4), pages 303-322, July.
    9. Alan Clardy, 2021. "What Does HR Manage? Workforce Measurement and Control," Merits, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-18, May.
    10. Jean-Jacques Degroof & Edward B. Roberts, 2004. "Overcoming Weak Entrepreneurial Infrastructures for Academic Spin-Off Ventures," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 29(3_4), pages 327-352, August.
    11. Wendy M. Purcell, 2021. "Editorial from the Editor-in-Chief to Introduce the Journal," Merits, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-2, May.
    12. Elisa Barbieri & Lauretta Rubini & Chiara Pollio & Alessandra Micozzi, 2018. "What are the trade-offs of academic entrepreneurship? An investigation on the Italian case," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 198-221, February.
    13. Hadi Fariborzi & Mohammad Keyhani, 2018. "Internationalize to live: a study of the post-internationalization survival of new ventures," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 607-624, March.
    14. Ingi Runar Edvardsson & Guðmundur Kristján Óskarsson, 2021. "Outsourcing of Human Resources: The Case of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises," Merits, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-11, May.
    15. Fuster, Elena & Padilla-Meléndez, Antonio & Lockett, Nigel & del-Águila-Obra, Ana Rosa, 2019. "The emerging role of university spin-off companies in developing regional entrepreneurial university ecosystems: The case of Andalusia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 219-231.
    16. Stefano Poponi & Gabriella Arcese & Enrico Maria Mosconi & Michelangelo Arezzo di Trifiletti, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Drivers for the Development of the Circular Business Model: The Role of Academic Spin-Off," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    17. Clarysse, Bart & Moray, Nathalie, 2004. "A process study of entrepreneurial team formation: the case of a research-based spin-off," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 55-79, January.
    18. Vohora, Ajay & Wright, Mike & Lockett, Andy, 2004. "Critical junctures in the development of university high-tech spinout companies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 147-175, January.
    19. Guindalini, Camila & Verreynne, Martie-Louise & Kastelle, Tim, 2021. "Taking scientific inventions to market: Mapping the academic entrepreneurship ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    20. Valérie François & Pascal Philippart, 2019. "A university spin-off launch failure: explanation by the legitimation process," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 1188-1215, August.
    21. Veronika Bumberová & František Milichovský, 2019. "Sustainability Development of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services: Strategic Actions and Business Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-19, September.
    22. Marius Tuft Mathisen & Einar Rasmussen, 2019. "The development, growth, and performance of university spin-offs: a critical review," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 1891-1938, December.
    23. Lauretta Rubini & Chiara Pollio & Giuseppe Lucio Gaeta & Elisa Barbieri, 2021. "Heterogeneous effects of spinoff foundations on the means of technology transfer: the role of past academic-industry collaborations," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(1), pages 261-292, April.
    24. Chun Yang & Bart Bossink & Peter Peverelli, 2017. "High-tech start-up firm survival originating from a combined use of internal resources," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 799-824, December.
    25. Taheri, Mozhdeh & van Geenhuizen, Marina, 2019. "Knowledge relationships of university spin-off firms: Contrasting dynamics in global reach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 193-204.
    26. Simone Scagnelli & Lorenzo Vasile & Mico Apostolov, 2019. "Survival Drivers Of Post-Incubated Start-Ups: The Effect Of Academic Governance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(07), pages 1-20, October.
    27. Stefan Krabel, 2018. "Are entrepreneurs made on campus? The impact of entrepreneurial universities and graduates’ human capital on graduates’ occupational choice," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 456-485, December.
    28. Francisco Javier Miranda & Antonio Chamorro & Sergio Rubio, 2018. "Re-thinking university spin-off: a critical literature review and a research agenda," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 1007-1038, August.
    29. Aaron Chatterji & Solène Delecourt & Sharique Hasan & Rembrand Koning, 2019. "When does advice impact startup performance?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 331-356, March.
    30. 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.
    31. Crick, James M. & Crick, Dave & Chaudhry, Shiv, 2020. "Entrepreneurial marketing decision-making in rapidly internationalising and de-internationalising start-up firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 158-167.
    32. Lockett, Andy & Siegel, Donald & Wright, Mike & Ensley, Michael D., 2005. "The creation of spin-off firms at public research institutions: Managerial and policy implications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 981-993, September.
    33. Cornelia Kolb & Marcus Wagner, 2018. "How university spin-offs differ in composition and interaction: a qualitative approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 734-759, June.
    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. Juan Pablo Diánez-González & Carmen Camelo-Ordaz & Mariluz Fernández-Alles, 2021. "Drivers and implications of entrepreneurial orientation for academic spin-offs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 1007-1035, June.
    2. F. I. Vega-Gómez & F. J. Miranda González & J. Pérez-Mayo, 2020. "Analyzing the Effects of Institutional- and Ecosystem-Level Variables on University Spin-Off Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    3. Franco-Leal Noelia & Camelo-Ordaz Carmen & Fernandez-Alles Mariluz & Sousa-Ginel Elena, 2020. "The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Actors and Performance in Different Stages of Evolution of Academic Spinoffs," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(2), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Nicoletta Buratti & Giorgia Profumo & Luca Persico, 2021. "The impact of market orientation on university spin-off business performance," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 104-129, March.
    5. Prokop, Daniel, 2021. "University entrepreneurial ecosystems and spinoff companies: Configurations, developments and outcomes," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    6. Marius Tuft Mathisen & Einar Rasmussen, 2019. "The development, growth, and performance of university spin-offs: a critical review," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 1891-1938, December.
    7. Petra Moog & Christian Soost, 2022. "Does team diversity really matter? The connection between networks, access to financial resources, and performance in the context of university spin-offs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 323-351, January.
    8. Christopher S. Hayter & Andrew J. Nelson & Stephanie Zayed & Alan C. O’Connor, 2018. "Conceptualizing academic entrepreneurship ecosystems: a review, analysis and extension of the literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 1039-1082, August.
    9. Igors Skute, 2019. "Opening the black box of academic entrepreneurship: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(1), pages 237-265, July.
    10. Colombo, Massimo G. & Piva, Evila, 2012. "Firms’ genetic characteristics and competence-enlarging strategies: A comparison between academic and non-academic high-tech start-ups," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 79-92.
    11. Djordje Djokovic & Vangelis Souitaris, 2008. "Spinouts from academic institutions: a literature review with suggestions for further research," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 225-247, June.
    12. Mariluz Fernández-Alles & Carmen Camelo-Ordaz & Noelia Franco-Leal, 2015. "Key resources and actors for the evolution of academic spin-offs," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(6), pages 976-1002, December.
    13. Knockaert, M. & Ucbasaran, D. & Wright, M. & Clarysse, B., 2009. "How does tacit knowledge transfer influence innovation speed? The case of science based entrepreneurial firms," Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Working Paper Series 2009-07, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
    14. Fasano, Francesco & Rocca, Maurizio La & Cariola, Alfio & Passarelli, Mariacarmela, 2023. "Banking relationship and research spin-offs’ life cycle: The Italian experience," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Simone Scagnelli & Lorenzo Vasile & Mico Apostolov, 2019. "Survival Drivers Of Post-Incubated Start-Ups: The Effect Of Academic Governance," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(07), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Yagüe-Perales, Rosa M. & March-Chordà, Isidre, 2012. "Performance analysis of research spin-offs in the Spanish biotechnology industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(12), pages 1782-1789.
    17. Nora Hesse & Rolf Sternberg, 2017. "Alternative growth patterns of university spin-offs: why so many remain small?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 953-984, September.
    18. DE CLEYN, Sven & BRAET, Johan, 2007. "Research valorisation through spin-off ventures: Integration of existing concepts and typologies," Working Papers 2007008, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    19. Prencipe, Antonio & Corsi, Christian & Rodríguez-Gulías, María Jesús & Fernández-López, Sara & Rodeiro-Pazos, David, 2020. "Influence of the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem and its knowledge spillovers in developing successful university spin-offs," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    20. Clovia Hamilton & Simon P. Philbin, 2020. "Knowledge Based View of University Tech Transfer—A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-28, September.

    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:gam:jmerit:v:2:y:2022:i:2:p:8-100:d:807386. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.