IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/entreg/v26y2014i1-2p47-79.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are traditional industrial partnerships so strategic for research spin-off development? Some evidence from the Italian case

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre-Jean Benghozi
  • Elisa Salvador

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on research spin-offs (SOs) and strategic alliances. The research SO phenomenon has attracted significant attention in recent years. Yet, research SOs might present a particular situation regarding their economic development. Therefore, the paper focuses on the relevance of traditional industrial partnerships and introduces a new and complementary approach for studying and analysing the role of alliances for this particular kind of firm. The results of a questionnaire investigation of Italian research SOs with and without a traditional industrial partner are investigated and supported by a linear regression model. Due to recent initiatives -- a growing interest in the research SO phenomenon -- and the increasing number of established research SOs, Italy is a suitable case study for such an investigation. Nonetheless, the results are generalizable beyond the Italian case. The findings demonstrate thought-provoking -- and somehow unexpected -- results regarding the role of traditional alliances in shaping the geographical and industrial environment as well as the performance, added value, age and production process of the company. This calls for a broader perspective regarding industrial partnerships and research SOs: it reflects new modes of relations for these particular firms in the form of business ecosystems, either they are physical or they are digital.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre-Jean Benghozi & Elisa Salvador, 2014. "Are traditional industrial partnerships so strategic for research spin-off development? Some evidence from the Italian case," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1-2), pages 47-79, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:26:y:2014:i:1-2:p:47-79
    DOI: 10.1080/08985626.2013.860194
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/08985626.2013.860194
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/08985626.2013.860194?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bart Clarysse & Mike Wright & Els Van de Velde, 2011. "Entrepreneurial Origin, Technological Knowledge, and the Growth of Spin‐Off Companies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1420-1442, September.
    2. Franklin, Stephen J & Wright, Mike & Lockett, Andy, 2001. "Academic and Surrogate Entrepreneurs in University Spin-Out Companies," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 26(1-2), pages 127-141, January.
    3. Donato Iacobucci & Alessandro Iacopini & Alessandra Micozzi & Simone Orsini, 2011. "Fostering entrepreneurship in academic spin-offs," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(4), pages 513-533.
    4. Bruneel, Johan & D'Este, Pablo & Salter, Ammon, 2010. "Investigating the factors that diminish the barriers to university-industry collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 858-868, September.
    5. Rothaermel, Frank T. & Thursby, Marie, 2005. "University-incubator firm knowledge flows: assessing their impact on incubator firm performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 305-320, April.
    6. Müller, Kathrin, 2010. "Academic spin-off's transfer speed--Analyzing the time from leaving university to venture," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 189-199, March.
    7. Michael Steiner, 2004. "The Role of Clusters in Knowledge Creation and Diffusion – an Institutional Perspective," ERSA conference papers ersa04p612, European Regional Science Association.
    8. Lucia Piscitello & Francesca Sgobbi, 2004. "Globalisation, E-Business and SMEs: Evidence from the Italian District of Prato," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 333-347, June.
    9. Lokshin, Boris & Hagedoorn, John & Letterie, Wilko, 2011. "The bumpy road of technology partnerships: Understanding causes and consequences of partnership mal-functioning," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 297-308, March.
    10. Geuna, Aldo & Rossi, Federica, 2011. "Changes to university IPR regulations in Europe and the impact on academic patenting," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1068-1076, October.
    11. David Audretsch & Marcel Hülsbeck & Erik Lehmann, 2012. "Regional competitiveness, university spillovers, and entrepreneurial activity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 587-601, October.
    12. Pierre-Jean Benghozi & Cécile Chamaret & Ramón Compañó, 2010. "Economic Trends in Enterprise Search Solutions," JRC Research Reports JRC57470, Joint Research Centre.
    13. Pezzoni, Michele & Sterzi, Valerio & Lissoni, Francesco, 2012. "Career progress in centralized academic systems: Social capital and institutions in France and Italy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 704-719.
    14. Michael E. Porter, 2000. "Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a Global Economy," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 14(1), pages 15-34, February.
    15. de Faria, Pedro & Lima, Francisco & Santos, Rui, 2010. "Cooperation in innovation activities: The importance of partners," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 1082-1092, October.
    16. Mike Wright & Ajay Vohora & Andy Lockett, 2004. "The Formation of High-Tech University Spinouts: The Role of Joint Ventures and Venture Capital Investors," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 29(3_4), pages 287-310, August.
    17. Colombo, Massimo G. & Delmastro, Marco, 2002. "How effective are technology incubators?: Evidence from Italy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 1103-1122, September.
    18. O'Shea, Rory P. & Allen, Thomas J. & Chevalier, Arnaud & Roche, Frank, 2005. "Entrepreneurial orientation, technology transfer and spinoff performance of U.S. universities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 994-1009, September.
    19. Riccardo Fini & Rosa Grimaldi & Maurizio Sobrero, 2009. "Factors fostering academics to start up new ventures: an assessment of Italian founders’ incentives," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 380-402, August.
    20. Jakki Mohr & Robert Spekman, 1994. "Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 135-152, February.
    21. Philippe Mustar & Mike Wright, 2010. "Convergence or path dependency in policies to foster the creation of university spin-off firms? A comparison of France and the United Kingdom," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 42-65, February.
    22. Bart Clarysse & Mike Wright & Andy Lockett & Philippe Mustar & Mirjam Knockaert, 2007. "Academic spin-offs, formal technology transfer and capital raising," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 16(4), pages 609-640, August.
    23. Simona Iammarino & Francesca Sanna-Randaccio & Maria Savona, 2009. "The perception of obstacles to innovation. Foreign multinationals and domestic firms in Italy," Revue d'économie industrielle, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(1), pages 75-104.
    24. George A. Akerlof, 1970. "The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500.
    25. Richard Harrison & Claire Leitch, 2010. "Voodoo Institution or Entrepreneurial University? Spin-off Companies, the Entrepreneurial System and Regional Development in the UK," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(9), pages 1241-1262.
    26. Lockett, Andy & Wright, Mike & Franklin, Stephen, 2003. "Technology Transfer and Universities' Spin-Out Strategies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 185-200, March.
    27. Marco Gelderen & Lidewey Sluis & Paul Jansen, 2005. "Learning Opportunities and Learning Behaviours of Small Business Starters: Relations with Goal Achievement, Skill Development and Satisfaction," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 97-108, August.
    28. Mike Wright & Bart Clarysse & Philippe Mustar & Andy Lockett, 2007. "Academic Entrepreneurship in Europe," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4041.
    29. Albert Link & Dianne Welsh, 2013. "From laboratory to market: on the propensity of young inventors to form a new business," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 1-7, January.
    30. Gilsing, V.A. & van Burg, E. & Romme, A.G.L., 2010. "Policy principles for the creation and success of corporate and academic spin-offs," Other publications TiSEM 4f828c53-0ac2-4ea7-9f90-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    31. Krugman, Paul, 1998. "What's New about the New Economic Geography?," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 7-17, Summer.
    32. Mustar, Philippe & Renault, Marie & Colombo, Massimo G. & Piva, Evila & Fontes, Margarida & Lockett, Andy & Wright, Mike & Clarysse, Bart & Moray, Nathalie, 2006. "Conceptualising the heterogeneity of research-based spin-offs: A multi-dimensional taxonomy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 289-308, March.
    33. 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.
    34. Arnaldo Camuffo & Roberto Grandinetti, 2011. "Italian industrial districts as cognitive systems: Are they still reproducible?," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(9-10), pages 815-852, March.
    35. Siegel, Donald S. & Westhead, Paul & Wright, Mike, 2003. "Assessing the impact of university science parks on research productivity: exploratory firm-level evidence from the United Kingdom," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 21(9), pages 1357-1369, November.
    36. Michael Schwartz, 2009. "Beyond incubation: an analysis of firm survival and exit dynamics in the post-graduation period," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 403-421, August.
    37. Paola Bertolini & Enrico Giovannetti, 2006. "Industrial districts and internationalization: the case of the agri-food industry in Modena, Italy," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 279-304, July.
    38. Robert Huggins & Andrew Johnston & Chris Stride, 2012. "Knowledge networks and universities: Locational and organisational aspects of knowledge transfer interactions," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(7-8), pages 475-502, September.
    39. Hannon, Bruce, 1997. "The use of analogy in biology and economics: From biology to economics, and back," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 471-488, October.
    40. Mariagrazia Squicciarini, 2008. "Science Parks’ tenants versus out-of-Park firms: who innovates more? A duration model," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 45-71, February.
    41. Helen Lawton Smith & Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, 2012. "The research university, entrepreneurship and regional development: Research propositions and current evidence," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5-6), pages 383-404, June.
    42. Céline Druilhe & Elizabeth Garnsey, 2004. "Do Academic Spin-Outs Differ and Does it Matter?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 29(3_4), pages 269-285, August.
    43. Evangelia Sofouli & Nicholas Vonortas, 2007. "S&T Parks and business incubators in middle-sized countries: the case of greece," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 32(5), pages 525-544, October.
    44. Philippe Mustar, 1997. "How French academics create hi-tech companies: The conditions for success or failure," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 24(1), pages 37-43, February.
    45. Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2007. "The economics of university research parks," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 23(4), pages 661-674, Winter.
    46. Mario Davide Parrilli, 2009. "Collective efficiency, policy inducement and social embeddedness: Drivers for the development of industrial districts," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 1-24, January.
    47. Shantanu Dutta & Allen M. Weiss, 1997. "The Relationship Between a Firm's Level of Technological Innovativeness and Its Pattern of Partnership Agreements," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 43(3), pages 343-356, March.
    48. Philippe Mustar & Mike Wright & Bart Clarysse, 2008. "University spin-off firms: Lessons from ten years of experience in Europe," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(2), pages 67-80, March.
    49. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    50. Giacomo Becattini & Marco Bellandi & Gabi Dei Ottati & Fabio Sforzi, 2003. "From Industrial Districts to Local Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2884.
    51. Fabienne Picard & Caroline Hussler & Ming Feng Tang, 2010. "Taking the ivory out of the tower to coat the economic world," Post-Print halshs-00515196, HAL.
    52. 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.
    53. Jobber, David & Saunders, John, 1993. "A note on the applicability of the Bruvold-Comer model of mail survey response rates to commercial populations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 223-236, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kee, Daisy Mui Hung & Rahman, Nurulhasanah Abdul, 2017. "Analyzing entrepreneurial orientation impact on start-up success with support service as moderator: A PLS-SEM approach," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center (PRADEC), vol. 13(2).
    2. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Salerno, Mario Sergio & Ikenami, Rodrigo Kazuo, 2018. "Unpacking the innovation ecosystem construct: Evolution, gaps and trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 30-48.
    3. John Hagedoorn & Boris Lokshin & Stéphane Malo, 2018. "Alliances and the innovation performance of corporate and public research spin-off firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 763-781, April.
    4. Pierre-Jean Benghozi & Thierry Rayna & Elisa Salvador & Ludmila Striukova, 2017. "“Editorial” of the "Special Issue on: Leveraging Technological Change: The Role of Business Models and Ecosystems”," Post-Print hal-02537215, HAL.
    5. Andrea Setti, 2020. "Linking science-based firms with performance factors: An integrative systematic review of literature," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 9(2), pages 09-42, March.
    6. Pierre-Jean Benghozi & Elisa Salvador & Jean-Paul Simon, 2018. "The race for innovation in the media and content industries: legacy players and newcomers. Lessons from the music and newspaper industries," Post-Print hal-02091962, HAL.
    7. Elisa Salvador & Hassan El Asraoui & Mylene Akbaraly, 2019. "The difficult relationship between the consultancy market and SMEs: inspiring insights from the case of Drôme," Post-Print hal-02513526, HAL.
    8. Elisa Salvador & Florence Pinot de Villechenon & Humberto Lopez-Rizzo, 2014. "European SMEs and the Brazilian market: the key role of social networks," Post-Print hal-02520422, HAL.
    9. Elisa Salvador & Pierre-Jean Benghozi, 2015. "Research spin-off firms: does the university involvement really matter?," Post-Print hal-02091015, HAL.
    10. Elisa Salvador & Jean-Paul Simon & Pierre-Jean Benghozi, 2019. "Facing disruption: the cinema value chain in the digital age," Post-Print hal-02300929, HAL.
    11. Daisy Mui Hung Kee, & Nurulhasanah Abdul Rahman, 2017. "Analyzing entrepreneurial orientation impact on start-up success with support service as moderator: A PLS-SEM approach," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 13(2), pages 128-141, May.
    12. Stefano Poponi & Alessio Maria Braccini & Alessandro Ruggieri, 2017. "Key Success Factors Positively Affecting Organizational Performance of Academic Spin-Offs," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(05), pages 1-18, October.
    13. Pierre-Jean Benghozi & Elisa Salvador & Jean-Paul Simon, 2017. "The race for innovation in the media and content industries: Legacy players and newcomers. Lessons for policy makers from the video game and cinema industries," Post-Print hal-02110043, HAL.
    14. Elisa Salvador & Cristina Marullo & Andrea Piccaluga, 2019. "Determinants of growth in research spin-offs: a resource-based perspective," Post-Print hal-02336465, HAL.
    15. 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).

    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. Christian Sandström & Karl Wennberg & Martin W. Wallin & Yulia Zherlygina, 2018. "Public policy for academic entrepreneurship initiatives: a review and critical discussion," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(5), pages 1232-1256, October.
    2. Elisa Salvador, 2011. "Are science parks and incubators good “brand names” for spin-offs? The case study of Turin," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 203-232, April.
    3. Elisa Salvador & Secondo Rolfo, 2011. "Are incubators and science parks effective for research spin-offs? Evidence from Italy," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 38(3), pages 170-184, April.
    4. Elisa Salvador, 2011. "How effective are research spin-off firms in Italy?," Revue d'économie industrielle, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(1), pages 99-122.
    5. Ilaria Mariotti & Elisa Salvador, 2015. "On-park and off-park research spin-offs: some insights from an empirical investigation on Italy," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 19(5/6), pages 405-422.
    6. Mauro Sciarelli & Giovanni Catello Landi & Lorenzo Turriziani & Mario Tani, 2021. "Academic entrepreneurship: founding and governance determinants in university spin-off ventures," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 1083-1107, August.
    7. Elisa Salvador & Pierre-Jean Benghozi, 2015. "Research spin-off firms: does the university involvement really matter?," Post-Print hal-02091015, HAL.
    8. Isabel Diez-Vial & Angeles Montoro-Sanchez, 2017. "Research evolution in science parks and incubators: foundations and new trends," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(3), pages 1243-1272, March.
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
    11. Elisa Salvador, 2012. "Italian Science Parks And Incubators: Some Considerations Arising From A Questionnaire Investigation On Research Spin-Off Firms," Post-Print hal-02093934, HAL.
    12. Good, Matthew & Knockaert, Mirjam & Soppe, Birthe & Wright, Mike, 2019. "The technology transfer ecosystem in academia. An organizational design perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 82, pages 35-50.
    13. Müller, Kathrin, 2010. "Academic spin-off's transfer speed--Analyzing the time from leaving university to venture," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 189-199, March.
    14. Gideon D. Markman & Donald S. Siegel & Mike Wright, 2008. "Research and Technology Commercialization," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(8), pages 1401-1423, December.
    15. Berbegal-Mirabent, Jasmina & Ribeiro-Soriano, Domingo Enrique & Sánchez García, José Luis, 2015. "Can a magic recipe foster university spin-off creation?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2272-2278.
    16. Fini, Riccardo & Grimaldi, Rosa & Santoni, Simone & Sobrero, Maurizio, 2011. "Complements or substitutes? The role of universities and local context in supporting the creation of academic spin-offs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1113-1127, October.
    17. 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.
    18. Gümüsay, Ali Aslan & Bohné, Thomas Marc, 2018. "Individual and organizational inhibitors to the development of entrepreneurial competencies in universities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 363-378.
    19. 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.
    20. Giuseppe Criaco & Tommaso Minola & Pablo Migliorini & Christian Serarols-Tarrés, 2014. "“To have and have not”: founders’ human capital and university start-up survival," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 567-593, August.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior

    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:taf:entreg:v:26:y:2014:i:1-2:p:47-79. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/TEPN20 .

    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.