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The Impact of Entrepreneurship Governance and Institutional Frameworks on Knowledge-Based Spin-Offs

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Technology Entrepreneurship

Part of the book series: FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship ((FGFS))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on different approaches and methods aiming to optimize the institutional framework for academic-spin-offs in the different stages of the entrepreneurship process. A brief description of the main argument, the establishment of an Entrepreneurial University, will enable a better understanding of its complex structure and will provide an insight into the mutual interdependencies in the spin-off value chain. Research-intensive spin-offs generated by universities and research centers are one of the most important innovation motors and the vehicle for disruptive innovations. The large number of scientific results and inventions that frequently remain passive assets of the universities in the form of intellectual properties, could create an enormous potential for starting successful and sustainable enterprises. Besides creating new ideas and innovations, a key factor for success is an appropriate institutional framework along the whole spin-off value chain. A permanent and sustainable Entrepreneurship Culture requires a holistic Entrepreneurship Governance throughout the entire transformation process, from research to the marketable product.

In the following chapter the authors will analyze the concept of the Entrepreneurial University and describe the characteristics of Entrepreneurship Governance which may accelerate the process of knowledge-based spin-offs in the universities and research centers. The authors will rely on empirical findings in leading entrepreneurial universities and show how an overall entrepreneurship institutional framework may function. In a next step institutional requirements for each stage of entrepreneurship process will be discussed and the determining factors will be described.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Ferlie, Musselin, and Andresani (2009) pointed out: “By ‘steering’, we here mean the externally derived instruments and institutional arrangements which seek to govern organizational and academic behaviours within HEIs. They are usually but not always emanating from the state.” Publicly funded higher education institutions largely depend on the state for financing. Beside to the governmental regulations, the university still have influence on its guiding principles (Ferlie et al. 2009).

  2. 2.

    Due to this program TU Braunschweig and Ostfalia University developed a holistic joint concept to establish the entrepreneurship cultures at their universities. They defined new university internal regulations for using engineering labs and supporting those university members who are engaged in spin-offs (Asghari et al. 2012). Successful German role-models for integrating entrepreneurship successfully in their missions are the TU München as well as the TU Berlin in Germany. The MIT and Stanford University are two pioneers in development and implementing an entrepreneurial university mission and worldwide leaders in high-tech entrepreneurship (Mach 2016).

  3. 3.

    E&I = Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

    Reza Asghari & Britta Kokemper

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  1. Reza Asghari
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  2. Britta Kokemper
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Correspondence to Reza Asghari or Britta Kokemper .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bolzano, Bozen, Italy

    André Presse

  2. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Orestis Terzidis

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Asghari, R., Kokemper, B. (2018). The Impact of Entrepreneurship Governance and Institutional Frameworks on Knowledge-Based Spin-Offs. In: Presse, A., Terzidis, O. (eds) Technology Entrepreneurship. FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73509-2_12

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