Abstract
This article systematically reviews the literature on business incubators and business incubation. Focusing on the primary research orientations—i.e. studies centering on incubator development, incubator configurations, incubatee development, incubator-incubation impacts, and theorizing about incubators-incubation—problems with extant research are analyzed and opportunities for future research are identified. From our review, it is clear that research has just begun to scratch the surface of the incubator-incubation phenomenon. While much attention has been devoted to the description of incubator facilities, less attention has been focused on the incubatees, the innovations they seek to diffuse, and the incubation outcomes that have been achieved. As interest in the incubator-incubation concept continues to grow, new research efforts should focus not only on these under-researched units of analysis, but also on the incubation process itself.
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Mian, S.A., 1997, 'Assessing and Managing the University Technology Business Incubator: An Integrative Framework,' Journal of Business Venturing 12(4), 251-285.
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Rice, M.P., 2002, 'Co-production of Business Assistance in Business Incubators: An Exploratory Study,' Journal of Business Venturing 17, 163-187.
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Scherer, A. and D.W. McDonald, 1988, 'A Model for the Development of Small High-Technology Businesses Based on Case Studies from an Incubator,' Journal of Product Innovation Management 5(4), 282-295.
Sherman, H., 1998, 'Comments on Peter Bearse's “A Question of Evaluation”,' Economic Development Quarterly 12(4), 334-335.
Sherman, H., 1999, 'Assessing the Intervention Effectiveness of Business Incubation Programs on New Business Start-ups,' Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship 4(2), 117-133.
Sherman, H. and D.S. Chappell, 1998, 'Methodological Challenges in Evaluating Business Incubator Outcomes,' Economic Development Quarterly 12(4), 313-321.
Smilor, R.W., 1987, 'Managing the Incubator System: Critical Success Factors to Accelerate New Company Development,' IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management EM-34(4), 146-156.
Smilor, R.W. and M.D. Gill Jr., 1986, The New Business Incubator: Linking Talent, Technology, Capital, and Know-How, Lexington: Lexington Books.
Stuart, R. and P.A. Abetti, 1987, 'Start-up Ventures: Towards the Prediction of Initial Success,' Journal of Business Venturing 2, 215-230.
Swierczek, F.W., 1992, 'Strategies for Business Innovation: Evaluating the Prospects of Incubation in Thailand,' Technovation 12(8), 521-533.
Udell, G.G., 1990, 'Are Business Incubators Really Creating New Jobs by Creating New Businesses and New Products?,' Journal of Product Innovation Management 7, 108-122.
Culp, R.P., 1996, A Test of Business Growth Through Analysis of a Technology Incubator Program, Unpublished dissertation, Atlanta: Georgia Institute of Technology.
Lichtenstein, G.A., 1992, The Significance of Relationships in Entrepreneurship: A Case Study of the Ecology of Enterprise in Two Business Incubators, Unpublished Dissertation, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.
Temali, M. and C. Campbell, 1984, Business Incubator Profiles: A National Survey, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs.
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Hackett, S.M., Dilts, D.M. A Systematic Review of Business Incubation Research. The Journal of Technology Transfer 29, 55–82 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTT.0000011181.11952.0f
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTT.0000011181.11952.0f