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Exploring technology business incubators and their business incubation models: case studies from China

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Abstract

This paper explores Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) and their chosen Business Incubation Models. The business models of TBIs have been largely ignored or seen as explained through stratification classifications (e.g. university incubator, virtual incubator etc.). Taking a qualitative approach, five next generation TBIs clustered in the Zhongguancun region of Beijing, the ‘Chinese Silicon Valley’, are analyzed. Framed in the resource-based view this work contributes to the literature through the exploration of: (1) The strategies implemented by next generation TBIs in China (2) The business models of these incubators (3) The fit between each incubator’s business model and their respective strategy. Ultimately this study disentangles how the varying availability of resources and incubatees’ ability to absorb these resources guide incubator strategy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the National Nature Science Foundation and Sichuan/Chengdu Science and Technology Department/Bureau for funding this research project under Grants (Number G0302/71403221) and (Number 2017ZR0240/2016-RK00-00177-ZF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, 55, Guanghua Cun Street, Qing Yang District, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China

    Mingfeng Tang

  2. Whitaker Institute of Innovation and Societal Change, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland

    Grace Sheila Walsh

  3. Rongcheng Campus, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin, China

    Cuiwen Li

  4. Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Angathevar Baskaran

  5. Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa

    Angathevar Baskaran

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  1. Mingfeng Tang
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  2. Grace Sheila Walsh
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Table 2 Primary Data Interviews and Secondary Data Sources
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Tang, M., Walsh, G.S., Li, C. et al. Exploring technology business incubators and their business incubation models: case studies from China. J Technol Transf 46, 90–116 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-019-09759-4

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