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Determinants of University Cooperation Networks as a Mechanism for Regional Development: The Case of Beira Interior (Portugal)

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Cooperative and Networking Strategies in Small Business

Part of the book series: Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management ((ITKM))

Abstract

The present chapter aims to understand the influence of university cooperation networks on their regional economy. It focuses on the following research question: What are the determinants of university cooperation networks? To attain this objective, we pursued two exploratory case studies in Portugal focusing on firms cooperating with the University of Beira Interior. For data gathering, interviews with key informants and documentary analysis were used. It was found that an entrepreneurial university has a crucial role in attracting firms to its region. Moreover, strong regional partnerships with globally acting firms may represent a solution to slow down the migratory flow of young graduates. In the formation of university cooperation networks, scientific and technological know-how and well-equipped premises are the most attractive factors for firms to engage in cooperation. Again, offering paid work placements for graduates is an important incentive for universities to enter in a network.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from FCT and FEDER/COMPETE through grant PEst-C/EGE/UI4007/2013.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    Mário Franco & Adelaide Reis

  2. University of Applied Sciences Jena, Jena, Germany

    Heiko Haase

Authors
  1. Mário Franco
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  2. Heiko Haase
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  3. Adelaide Reis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mário Franco .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Organizacón de Empresas, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain

    Marta Peris-Ortiz

  2. Department of Management and Economics, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

    João J. Ferreira

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Franco, M., Haase, H., Reis, A. (2017). Determinants of University Cooperation Networks as a Mechanism for Regional Development: The Case of Beira Interior (Portugal). In: Peris-Ortiz, M., Ferreira, J. (eds) Cooperative and Networking Strategies in Small Business. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44509-0_3

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