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Stimulation of technology-based small firms—A case study of university-industry cooperation
Technovation, 16(4)(1996) 187-193 Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0166-4972/96 $15.00 + 0.00
ELSEVIER ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Stimulation of technology-based small firms, a case study of
university-indust cooperation Magnus Klofsten Linkrping University, Sweden Dylan Jones-Evans University College, Dublin, Ireland
Abstract It is well known that owner-managers of technology-based firms usually have superior technical skills but are less competent in the area of business development. Consequently, in order to address these weaknesses, it has been suggested that an important part of support activities for these firms should be oriented towards the development of their management and business competences. As such, this paper describes a successful model which has been developed over a lO-year period to stimulate the growth and development of small technology-based firms. Four types of interrelated activities are in operation: entrepreneurship and new business development programmes, development programmes, management groups, and club/networking activities. The success of these stimulating activities can, above all, be related to five factors: an ability to meet real needs, a core group, a clear focus, credibility, and close relations between the stimulation organization and the university. One important task for researchers and practitioners is to understand the mechanisms behind these criteria for success. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
1. INTRODUCTION An increasing number of studies has demonstrated that the stimulation of small technology-based firms (creation, growth etc.) is an excellent way of undertaking efficient technology transfer from university to industry ]1-4]. This paper examines an example of this type of technology transfer in the Linkrping region of Sweden, examining the relationship between SMIL (a local association of small technology-based firms) and the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), LinkiSping University. There are a number of reasons why this relationship should be considered as a good practice example: •
during the last ten years, there has been a large
0166-4972(9S)00062-6
number of spin-off firms emerging from the university [5,6]. Indeed, the growth and development of these firms is recognized as one of the business success stories in the recent economic development of the Linkrping region; there exists a synergy, within the university, between the various business stimulation activities, research work and teaching. As has been demonstrated [7], this can have considerable benefits for both academic and business involvement in the technology transfer process; there is continued development of a strong relationship between university and industry, including a commitment to catalysing innovative activities, pooling resources and sharing different technical and business experiences;
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• the CIE-SMIL case study demonstrates that stimulation activities between university and industry need not be financially prohibitive and can, indeed, be carried out with relatively limited means in terms of organizational and financial resources. While these conditions may not be present within other regional environments, it is envisaged that some of the factors described in this case study may aid the development of successful university spin-off activities elsewhere in Europe.
2. THECREAllONOFTECHNOLOGY-BASED FIRMS THECASEOFLINKOPINGUNIVERSITY The Linktiping area is one of the regions in Sweden at the forefront in the creation and development of new technology-based firms. Indeed, the whole environment of the LinkSping region is supportive for technology-based firms, with a high-technology industrial environment which includes Saab's Aircraft Division, Ericsson Radio, Mj~devi Science Park and the Swedish Defence Research Establishment. However, one of the main incubators from which many of these small technology firms have emerged is Linkrping University. Indeed, the significant number of small technology-based firms in the Linkrping area is a direct result of the technological environment created by the university--they are the fruit of research conducted by the academic-based founders. In addition to new ventures established by university staff, a number of firms have also evolved from business ideas conceived by one or more students during their undergraduate or postgraduate studies [8]. Since its founding in 1972, Linkt~ping University has grown to having over 14 000 students, employing over 2400 people, and enjoying a fiscal turnover of 14000 MSEK (US$1866 million). More importantly, the institution has been active in various multidisciplinary research and development activities, particularly within the new technologies. There are three faculties at the university, from which a number of small technology firms have been initiated:
1. The Institute of Technology is the largest faculty, and annually awards around 500 Master of Science degrees in engineering and natural science programmes. In addition, a rapidly growing number of specialized graduates earn Certificates of Engineering after two years of study. Postgraduate research and scientific training are conducted in forty fields at eight large-scale departments. It has gained an international reputation for research and development expertise in a number of technological areas, including bioengineering, electronics, materials science, information technologies and industrial engineering. In particular, there is a deep appreciation of the need for interdisciplinary research both within the institute and in connection with other academic units; research projects
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between the natural and computer sciences were one of the institute's early innovations. . The Faculty of Health and Sciences, which includes the medical programme and several health-care education programmes. Postgraduate research and scientific training are conducted within forty health-care disciplines, and the integrated nature of this work contributes to the development of close-knit teams, which helps participants to gain a wider perspective of healthcare development and management. The research within the faculty is also interdisciplinary, with close ties between biomedical and clinical researchers. . The Faculty of Arts and Science provides education in economics, social and behavioural sciences and the liberal arts, and contains the School of Education, which provides seven teacher-training programmes in basic and continuing education for teachers from the pre-school to adult level. The faculty also includes an interdisciplinary graduate school, the Institute of Tema Research, which specializes in technology and social change, health and society, communication, water and environmental studies and child studies, thus integrating the main themes from various disciplines in order to examine diverse and complex modern societal problems. There are many reasons why these three faculties within Linktiping University have become a seedbed for new technology-based firms. For example, one of the main research areas of the university is within computer and information science, which has gained an international reputation for its activities in the areas of artificial intelligence, expert systems and programming environments. In addition, the nature of the research being carried out within the department is geared towards the development of specific computerbased solutions to industrial and business problems (for example, the design and analysis of effective algorithms is directly relevant to computer graphics and robotics). This can lead to numerous opportunities for the commercial development of a particular computer technology, process or product. Indeed, as various studies have demonstrated, the computer services sector is dominated by small firms, and is often the easiest type of small technologybased firm to establish [9, 10]. The university, being a young organization, has also encouraged different methods of undertaking academic research, especially in relation to industrial needs. This is reflected, to a large extent, in the multidisciplinary nature of the research being undertaken at the university, which has greater commercial application. For example, a project team within the Department of Physics and Measurement Technology is developing, in association with the Computer Assistance in Engineering team from the Department of Computing and Information Science, a project designing programming environments to enable sensor-
,
SUmulalJonof technology-basedsmallfinns
equipped industrial robots to make intelligent decisions.
Foundation for Small Business Development in Linkrping (SMIL)--and the university--represented by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).
In addition, the university has established and encouraged a tradition of technology transfer by its staff. For example, one of the first firms to spin out from the university was OFO Electronics, which was established in 1977 by academics from the Management and Economics Department to design and manufacture professional sound and light equipment for orchestras and institutions. Other early successful firms include Sectra Secure Transmissions AB, which emerged from the university's Electrical Engineering Department in 1978. Through developing various services in the area of digital communications, the company now employs 56 people and has a current turnover of 40 MSEK (US$5.3 million). The success of these firms, and the retention of a close relationship with the university (e.g. various professors are sitting on the boards of these firms and many of the firms' employees are former PhD students from different departments), have legitimized the process of academic entrepreneurship within Linkrping University. To date, over 350 small technology-based spin-offs have been established in the Linkrping region, with aprpoximately 70 of these emerging directly as a result of academic research activities. These companies are characterized by products based on advanced technology or technological expertise that is decisive for market success. Most are active in high-technology areas such as image processing, fibre composites, electronics, network security, sensors and vacuum technology. The number of employees varies considerably between the firms, with the largest academic-based firm employing 700 people, whilst a few others have also passed the 100-employee mark. However, the majority have between one and five employees and tend to offer consultant services on a limited basis. In total, the firms provide a labour market contribution of nearly 1500 employees, with the three largest firms together employing over 1200 people.
3. ORGANIZINGSTIMULA'nON'ACllVmESBETWEEN UNIVERSITYAND INDUSTRY:THE CASEOF ClE-SMIL The supporting network in the Linkrping area is highly conducive to the development of innovation within, and the growth of, new technology-based firms. During the last ten years, a network has evolved which incorporates a close interaction between the small technology-based firms--represented by the ~'Stimulation' constitutes measures for increasing the competence level of firms; these measureshave the followinggoals: to increase the numberof businessstart-ups;to improvethe qualityof these firms; to increase the chances for survival of new and existing firms; to encouragetheirgrowthand development.Successfulactivitiesare consideredto be activitiesstronglyanchoredin the firm(a high frequency of participation, a continuedhigh attendance in new activities, and positive evaluationresults) and endorsedby the backers (willingness to financeactivities).
SMIL was founded in 1984 by a group of business leaders and people from Linkrping University. SMIL is actually a development (an outgrowth) of a previously existing club of spin-off firms founded by the Industrial Liaison Office (ILO). Its origin stems from the realization by the university and the member firms that the club needed more structure and organization to be an effective support organization. At this time, i.e. the first half of the 1980s, there were frequent spin-off activities occurring in the Linkrping business community, with approximately 40 firms being established. The majority of these originated from the university, but others came from various high-technology industrial firms in the region such as the Saab Aircraft Division, Ericsson Radio and Swedish Defence Research Establishment, and the first members were recruited from both of these groups. The initial activities of SMIL consisted of breakfast meetings where lecturers were invited to speak on subjects of current interest to the founders of the small technology-based firms. Over time, these activities have continued to grow and develop into a number of different events. At the start there were 20 members, and today there are approximately 150 firms in the group, all located in the vicinity of Link0ping, These firms are offered a number of well-defined activities. The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) is an autonomous unit at Linkrping University that conducts activities intended to stimulate the growth and development of technology-based firms. These activities are planned and conducted in close cooperation with SMIL, whose membership is composed of small technology-based firms in the Linkrping area. The main purpose of CIE is to create a fruitful integration between stimulation activities for technology-based firms, and the teaching and research of technology-based entrepreneurship within the university. Together, CIE-SMIL have formed close links with a number of support organizations, including the National Swedish Board for Technical Development (NUTEK, located in Stockholm), the Mj/irdevi Science Park and the Regional Development Fund (ALMI Frretagspartner i Ostergrtland AB). The close interaction between CIE and SMIL will be presented in more detail in this paper.
3-1 ~11.: aims and sln~re As the main driving force behind the start of SMIL was the founders' interest in developing themselves as businessmen, the initial goal of SMIL was designed to reflect this and concentrated on stimulation activities designed for business leaders. The need for management competence and contacts of prime importance for business development would be satisfied by:
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• offering access to effective management resources; • promoting an exchange of experiences and cooperation between firms in matters of development; • giving access to networks; • providing advertising for the firms. Those who wished to participate in SMIL's activities had to apply for membership since this was considered to be an important instrument for generating commitment and establishing strong relations between the firms. Only organizations able to contribute to the activities of the foundation and small, technology-based firms were allowed to join SMIL. From the beginning, SMIL has had a management board comprising both business executives and representatives from the university. The connection between the business world and the academic system has been very profitable. Three main advantages have resulted from this connection: 1. the satisfaction of firm needs. The real needs of the firms in the SMIL network were able to be identified, clarified, and transformed into concrete activities, with the representatives from the firms providing the experience and understanding of the business world, and the academics the structured knowledge of small business development; 2. the synergistic effects between business and academics. A secretariat was made available at the university where one person--an enthusiast-could manage the operation and development of SMIL. This person, because of his position at the university, was able to combine the work in SMIL with research and teaching. The synergies created as a result of this combination have been to the advantage of both the firms and the university, with small technology-based ventures becoming an important source of knowledge in the development of courses and, moreover, constituting an excellent source of research activities. In return, the firms have been able to take advantage of students at the university---e.g., in connection with the drawing up of business and marketing plans--as well as having immediate and direct access to research findings regarding the different factors that are important for growth and development; 3. increased legitimacy in the eyes of the financiers. Many of the government backers have a policy not to support business organizations, which means that, on its own, SMIL would have had difficulties in attracting resources for its activities. However, the close connection between business and academics has resulted in the attraction of a number of development funds, such as the National Swedish Board for Technical Development (NUTEK) and the Regional Development Fund. Since the beginning, SMIL has remained a small,
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informal and flexible organization, resembling many of the small entrepreneurial firms it supports. It continues to have low overhead costs, even though its activities today have a considerably greater scope, both in terms of the number of members and the diversity of activities. Financing of the activities of SMIL occurs in a variety of ways. Each member pays a yearly membership fee of SKrl500 (US$200) per year, which is sufficient to finance some of the administrative costs.
3.2 ClE:spedfi¢ aclJviSesand services Over the years, a number of different activities have been developed by CIE, with the main emphasis on examining the different problems which occur at different times during a firm's development. With tailored activities, firms gain access to resources relevant to their particular stage of development (see Fig. 1). Those activities which have been developed can be divided into specific initiatives for SMIL members, including programmes for start-up firms, programmes for more established firms, and network activities. The success of these activities is as dependent on the contribution of the SMIL firms themselves to the group as it is on the efforts of CIE in leading the activities. Each activity has a coordinator who, together with resource persons (both academics and entrepreneurs) engaged for the project, is responsible for the implementation of the activity. There are three main activities undertaken by CIE for SMIL members: 1. The entrepreneurship and new business development programme. The main aim of the latest pro-
gramme to be developed--the entrepreneurship and new business development programme--is to solve the problems that can be encountered in establishing and managing a new firm. It aims to recruit those individuals who have both a plausible business concept and an interest in starting and Growth and development
:r development
ier development
t-up Time CIE PROGRAMMES 1. Entrepreneurship and new business development programme 2. Development programmes 3. Management groups 4. Club and networking activities Fig. 1
Stimulation of tecimoloo-based small firms
running a business. To date, the primary target groups for the programme have been students, researchers at the university, and people in established business firms. The main structure of the programme involves a number of workshops where the central themes of entrepreneurship and small business management are discussed. In parallel with the workshops, the participants develop business plans for the establishment of the new venture, and certain financial resources are made available to cover the costs of, for example, meeting customers and market surveys. An important part of the programme is the process of mentoring for these fledgling entrepreneurs, which is carried out by one of SMIL's existing network of experienced businessmen. In addition, SMIL has secured cooperation with the local science park, which makes premises available for the new firms. At any one time, between ten and fifteen people will participate in the programme, which lasts one year, and experience has shown that slightly more than half of these participants will subsequently establish a new business. To date, since its inception, a total of ten firms have been established as a direct result of this programme. 2. The development programmes and the management groups. For the more established firms, various development programmes and management groups are available. Here, the basic idea is to update the business expertise in the firm by working out solutions to certain known specific problems in its activities. Common problems can include internationalization, market positioning, professional board management and quality assurance systems. It is important to point out that these are a series of 'keep-fit' measures for companies, and are not aimed at firms which are in acute management crises. During the programme, which covers eight to ten days spread over a year, a group of six to nine firms participates; each one is represented by a maximum of three people from the firm's managerial team. Specific problems are solved in smaller sub-groups composed of three to four firms. It is usual that group work is alternated with a series of lectures for the entire group, where problems that concern all the firms are discussed. Whilst the development programmes will be more general in nature (with different firms discussing a variety of company-related problems together), the management groups are more focused, and concentrate on the solution of just one specific problem common to all the participating firms. Another important difference is that the development programme is targeted towards firms in an earlier phase of development than those which will partake in management groups. This concept is based on the fact that it is more suitable
first to solve a firm's management problems on a more general level prior to concentrating on more specific problems. It is therefore an advantage if the participants in the management group have already taken part in one of the development groups. To date, approximately 100 firms have taken part in the development and management group programme, with about 200 people participating. . The club and networking activities. The third function of CIE, in conjunction with SMIL, is the coordination of the club and networking activities whose main aim is to create a social network and exchange of information between firms in the SMIL group. Each month, activities such as pubnights and various forms of seminars, where junior businessmen can meet senior businessmen and exchange experiences, are arranged. Each activity attracts between 15 and 30 firms. Other forms of network building can be found in the booklet Ideas that Really Mean Business, where information such as firm addresses, lines of business, products and markets are listed. The catalogue is distributed both in Sweden and internationally, and is a good marketing device for firms in the SMIL group. More recently, attempts have been made to establish an alliance with organizations similar to SMIL in Sweden and abroad, with the intention of developing collaborative projects (of either a technical or a marketing character) which could be initiated between member firms in SMIL and firms connected to a suitable collaborating partner. Unfortunately, this work has not yet produced any concrete result, primarily because it has not been possible to find a suitable partner. The yearly budget for carrying out the activities is between SKrl.5 million to SKr2.0 million (US$0.2 million to US$0.3 million) per year, which reflects the estimated need for stimulation efforts during the coming year. Another fee, which varies depending on the extent and availability of financing, is always charged for participation in an activity. Participation in one of the larger programmes costs approximately SKrl0000 to SKr20000 (US$1500 to US$2500) per firm. The primary source of funding, however, has been the public grants to ILO and CIE which, in connection with SMIL, have supplied resources for the activities. In this way, the attendance fees for firms have been kept low. Financing for projects has always been a question of seeking funds after a need has been defined and an idea for an activity formulated. One important part of funding has also been the sensitivity to the wishes of the Government authorities concerning stimulation. When public funds have been made available, the strategy has been to quickly formulate proposals, apply for funding and, if granted, convert the funds into activities tailored to specific needs. Indeed, since
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its inception, the availability of financial resources from Government authorities to CIE has been satisfactory.
4. WHYHASTHESMILMODELBEENSUCCESSFUL? The stimulation model described above must be considered successful in terms of the strong support by both the firms and the financiers for the activities. It is difficult to isolate any distinct factors behind the success, but the following five are considered to be especially important:
1. The ability to meet real needs. The activities were grounded in the firms' experienced need of various kinds of stimulation. Through the activities, it was then possible to identify and put into concrete form the firms' real needs in order then to offer tailored solutions. As a result, the firms have been able to take appropriate measures such as the development of a more consistent business idea, the effective utilization of market and business plans, the instigation of reward systems for employees, and finding partners in different areas such as financing and product development marketing. 2. The core group. A management board of competent and committed people with different roles was available. The members of the board all have an understanding of small business, possess structural knowledge, and have access to an enthusiastic leader who can promote the activities of the group. 3. A clear focus. Since the start, CIE-SMIL has focused on the development of the management of small, technology-based firms concentrating, in particular, on the executive group within the venture. Activities based on this principle have then been developed and carried out, which have resulted in an ability, by the management of these firms, to communicate effectively their plans for development to other actors such as potential financiers. 4. Credibility. The development of SMIL is characterized by a strong commitment by the majority of the firms. The trust they have in SMIL has depended on a well-functioning network with strong social dimensions. Participation in the stimulation activities has meant that firms, in many cases, must release information of a sensitive nature under an oath of silence. To date, nothing has leaked outside the group. 5. Close relations between SMIL and the university. Both institutions have complemented each other well through cooperation. SMIL can be thought of as being the eyes and ears of the market place where the firms' need for stimulation has been recognized, whilst CIE, as the university partner, has contributed a secretariat and financial resources, structural knowledge and credibility.
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5. CONCLUSIONS The CIE-SMIL case shows that well-functioning stimulation activities can be carried out with relatively limited means in terms of financial resources and organization, and the model presented here indicates that there are five different factors, connected to both the supply and the demand aspects of business stimulation, which lie behind the success of the entrepreneurship model outlined in this paper. However, the most important task for those intending to research in or practically carry out stimulation of growth and development of technology-based firms is to create an understanding of those mechanisms that lie behind the criteria for success. As this case has demonstrated, special interest should be paid to those mechanisms at work behind a firm's real need for stimulation, and organizations involved in developing spin-off activities from universities should concentrate on understanding a few key issues, including: •
What methods can be used to determine the actual need of a firm for stimulation? How is it possible to determine whether a firm is an effective recipient of stimulation? What stimulation is necessary? Who determines the type of stimulation to be used?
• • •
However, as the CIE-SMIL case shows, the successful development of these activities cannot happen overnight, and requires the patient development, over time, of close networking activities between academia and industry.
REFERENCES 1 M. Castells and P. Hall. Technopoles of the
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3
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World--the Making of 21st Century Industrial Complexes. Routledge, London, 1994. P. Westhead and D.J. Storey. An Assessment of Firms Located On and Off Science Parks in the United Kingdom. HMSO, London, 1994. K.J. Samsom and M.A. Gurdon. University scientists as entrepreneurs--a special case of technology transfer and high-tech venturing. Technovation, 13(2) (1993) 63-71. E.J. Malecki. Technology and Regional Development. Longman, Harlow, 1991. M. Klofsten. Technology-based firms: critical aspects of their early development. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 2(1) (1994) 535-557. C. Olofsson, P. Davidsson and C. Wahlbin. The growth and roles of new technology-based firms-A study of university spin-off in Sweden. Paper presented at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-sized Businesses Workshop, J6nk6ping International Business School, 14-16 September 1994. D.J. Bower. Company and Campus Partnership-Supporting Technology Transfer. Routledge, London, 1992.
SlJmulation of technology-based small firms
8 M. Klofsten. D. Jones-Evans and P. Lindell. Growth factors in technology-based spin-offs: A Swedish study. Piccola Impresa (forthcoming) (1996). 9 D. Jones-Evans and D.A. Kirby. The formation and development of small technical professional service providers in the north east of England - a preliminary study. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 7(2) (1995) 21--40. 10 J. Howells. Developments in the location, technology and industrial organization of computer services: some trends a n d research issues. Regional Studies, 21(6) (1987) 493-503. Magnus Klofsten is senior lecturer in business administration at the Department of Management and Economics, Linkfping University. He is also director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Link6ping University, director of the Link6ping Foundation for Small Business Development, and chairman of the Link6ping New Business Development Centre. Previously, he was industrial liaison officer at Link6ping University from 1986 to1994. Dr Klofsten is currently involved in a
number of research projects examining small technology-based firms, including an examination of birth processes in such firms; development of a model for stimulating small technology-based firms; spin-off success management; key growth patterns. He has also taught a number of courses involving entrepreneurship and small business development to both students and the business community.
Dylan Jones-Evans is currently a European Commission Human Capital and Mobility Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Business Research Programme, Michael Smurlit Graduate School of Business, University College, Dublin. His project is to examine the competitive advantage of peripheral regions in the European Community, with particular reference to the role played by universities in developing industrial technological capability. He received his PhD from Aston Business School, Birmingham, and his MSc from the Department of Science and Technology Policy, University of Manchester. Between 1992 and 1994 he worked as a research officer at Durham University Business School, mainly on studies examining technology-based firms in the service sector. Research interests have focused on technical entrepreneurship and small innovative companies and he has written over thirty conference and journal articles in this area. He is co-founder of the Entrepreneurship Research Network in Ireland and a director of Young Enterprise Ireland.
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]P,ANSLATIONSOF ABSTRACTS
Hilfe auf, die am wichtigsten zur Beschleunigung der Kommerzialisierung neuer Technologien ist. Die F~ihigkeit dieser Typologien, die Erfolgsrate der kommerziellen Entwicklung neuer Technologien zu erklaren, wird mittels Daten von kleinen Firmen und unabh~gigen Erfindern, die am energieverwandten Erfindungsprogramm (ERIP) teilgenommen haben, illustriert. Das ERIP ist ein Programm auf bundesstaatlicher Ebene, das gemeinsam vom US Energieministerium und dem Nationalen Institut for Normen und Technologie betrieben wird und entwickelt wurde, um der Entwicklung von nichtnuklearen Erfindungen mit herausragendem Potential zum Sparen oder Produzieren von Energie Hilfestellung zu leisten.
Los factores humanosy el proceso de la innovaciGn
desarrollo de las invenciones no-nucleares con posibilidades excepcionales para el ahorro o la producci6n de energLa.
SSmulaUon of technology-based small firms--a case study of universityindustry cooperation M. Klofsten and D. Jones-Evans
Technovation, 16(4)(1996), 187-193
Stimuler les peStes enb~prises technologiques: Un exemple de collaboraUon en~ I'industrie et runiversit~
Resumen En este documento se intenta describir dos tipologfas de los factores humanos que facilitan la explicaci6n del proceso tEcnico de la innovaci6n y demostrar su potencia de progn6stico. E1 primer tipologfa define las cinco categoffas de inventores segfin su manera de ver el Exito y segfin sus correspondientes actitudes hacia la tecnologfa, la manera de llegar al mercado y la creaci6n de negocio. Estos cinco tipos en disminuyendo orden de posibilidades de Exito con innovaciones tEcnicas son: "empresarios con tecnologfa", "inventores para industrias especificas", "inventores profesionales", "subvencionistas", e "inventores veteranos/imparables". E1 segundo tipologfa categoriza los motivos detr~s de las elecciones de los inventores en el desarrollo de sus tecnologfas. Los administradores de los programas de innovaciones deben tomar en cuenta los factores que motivan a los inventores ya que el Exito de cualquier programa de innovaci6n exige un cierto grado de interlace de los prop6sitos del programa con la propia definici6n de Exito del inventor. Estas tipologfas pueden ayudar a los administradores de los programas de innovaciones a repartir unos escasos recursos hacia aquellos inventores con mayores probabilidades de Exito comercial. TambiEn ayuda a distinguir quE tipos de ayuda serian m~is efectivos en la acceleraci6n de la comercializaci6n de las nuevas tecnologfas. Se demuestra la capacidad de estas tipologfas para explicar las tasas de Exito en el desarrollo comercial de las nuevas tecnologfas utilizando datos proporcionados por los inventores de las empresas pequefias e independientes que participaron en el Programa de Invenciones Relacionadas con la Energia (ERIP). ERIP es un programa federal llevado en conjunto entre el departamento estadounidense de energia (U.S. Department of Energy) y el instituto nacional de est~indares y tecnologfa (National Institute of Standards and Technology), disefiado para apoyar el
R~sum I1 est bien connu que les directeurs de firmes technologiques qui en sont aussi les propri&aires ont souvent des compEtences techniques d'un tr~s haut niveau, mais qu'ils sont moins qualifies en termes de dEveloppement commercial. Par consequent, de faqon traiter ces faiblesses, il a 6tE suggErE qu'une partie importante du soutien offert h ces entreprises, prenne la forme d'une aide au dEveloppement des compEtences gestionnaires et commerciales des directeurs. Dans ce papier on dEcrit un module de rEussite qui a EtE dEveloppE sur une pEriode de dix ans, pour stimuler le dEveloppement et la croissance de petites entreprises technologiques. On prend en compte quatre activitEs interdEpendantes: l'entreprenariat et les nouveaux programmes de dEveloppement commercial, les groupes de gestion et les activitEs de rEseaux et de clubs. Le succ~s de ces activit6s stimulatrices peut, par dessus tout, Etre lie ~ cinq facteurs: une capacitE ~ rEsoudre les demandes rEelles, un noyau solide, une optique claire, de la crEdibilitE et des relations Etroites entre l'organisation stimulatrice et l'universitE. L'une des taches importantes des chercheurs et des praticiens est de comprendre les mEcanismes intimes de ces facteurs, afin de rEussir.
SSmulierung von technologiebasierten kleinen Firmec ~ne Fallstudie zur Zusammenarl)eit zwischen Induslfie und UniversitJt
Abriss Es nehmer lerweise aber auf
ist wohlbekannt, dab Eigenttimer-Untervon technologiebasierten Firmen normatiberlegene technische F~aigkeiten haben, dem Gebiet von Unternehmensentwicklung
Tecimova'donVol.16 No.4 213
ELSEVIER ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Stimulation of technology-based small firms, a case study of
university-indust cooperation Magnus Klofsten Linkrping University, Sweden Dylan Jones-Evans University College, Dublin, Ireland
Abstract It is well known that owner-managers of technology-based firms usually have superior technical skills but are less competent in the area of business development. Consequently, in order to address these weaknesses, it has been suggested that an important part of support activities for these firms should be oriented towards the development of their management and business competences. As such, this paper describes a successful model which has been developed over a lO-year period to stimulate the growth and development of small technology-based firms. Four types of interrelated activities are in operation: entrepreneurship and new business development programmes, development programmes, management groups, and club/networking activities. The success of these stimulating activities can, above all, be related to five factors: an ability to meet real needs, a core group, a clear focus, credibility, and close relations between the stimulation organization and the university. One important task for researchers and practitioners is to understand the mechanisms behind these criteria for success. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
1. INTRODUCTION An increasing number of studies has demonstrated that the stimulation of small technology-based firms (creation, growth etc.) is an excellent way of undertaking efficient technology transfer from university to industry ]1-4]. This paper examines an example of this type of technology transfer in the Linkrping region of Sweden, examining the relationship between SMIL (a local association of small technology-based firms) and the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), LinkiSping University. There are a number of reasons why this relationship should be considered as a good practice example: •
during the last ten years, there has been a large
0166-4972(9S)00062-6
number of spin-off firms emerging from the university [5,6]. Indeed, the growth and development of these firms is recognized as one of the business success stories in the recent economic development of the Linkrping region; there exists a synergy, within the university, between the various business stimulation activities, research work and teaching. As has been demonstrated [7], this can have considerable benefits for both academic and business involvement in the technology transfer process; there is continued development of a strong relationship between university and industry, including a commitment to catalysing innovative activities, pooling resources and sharing different technical and business experiences;
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• the CIE-SMIL case study demonstrates that stimulation activities between university and industry need not be financially prohibitive and can, indeed, be carried out with relatively limited means in terms of organizational and financial resources. While these conditions may not be present within other regional environments, it is envisaged that some of the factors described in this case study may aid the development of successful university spin-off activities elsewhere in Europe.
2. THECREAllONOFTECHNOLOGY-BASED FIRMS THECASEOFLINKOPINGUNIVERSITY The Linktiping area is one of the regions in Sweden at the forefront in the creation and development of new technology-based firms. Indeed, the whole environment of the LinkSping region is supportive for technology-based firms, with a high-technology industrial environment which includes Saab's Aircraft Division, Ericsson Radio, Mj~devi Science Park and the Swedish Defence Research Establishment. However, one of the main incubators from which many of these small technology firms have emerged is Linkrping University. Indeed, the significant number of small technology-based firms in the Linkrping area is a direct result of the technological environment created by the university--they are the fruit of research conducted by the academic-based founders. In addition to new ventures established by university staff, a number of firms have also evolved from business ideas conceived by one or more students during their undergraduate or postgraduate studies [8]. Since its founding in 1972, Linkt~ping University has grown to having over 14 000 students, employing over 2400 people, and enjoying a fiscal turnover of 14000 MSEK (US$1866 million). More importantly, the institution has been active in various multidisciplinary research and development activities, particularly within the new technologies. There are three faculties at the university, from which a number of small technology firms have been initiated:
1. The Institute of Technology is the largest faculty, and annually awards around 500 Master of Science degrees in engineering and natural science programmes. In addition, a rapidly growing number of specialized graduates earn Certificates of Engineering after two years of study. Postgraduate research and scientific training are conducted in forty fields at eight large-scale departments. It has gained an international reputation for research and development expertise in a number of technological areas, including bioengineering, electronics, materials science, information technologies and industrial engineering. In particular, there is a deep appreciation of the need for interdisciplinary research both within the institute and in connection with other academic units; research projects
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between the natural and computer sciences were one of the institute's early innovations. . The Faculty of Health and Sciences, which includes the medical programme and several health-care education programmes. Postgraduate research and scientific training are conducted within forty health-care disciplines, and the integrated nature of this work contributes to the development of close-knit teams, which helps participants to gain a wider perspective of healthcare development and management. The research within the faculty is also interdisciplinary, with close ties between biomedical and clinical researchers. . The Faculty of Arts and Science provides education in economics, social and behavioural sciences and the liberal arts, and contains the School of Education, which provides seven teacher-training programmes in basic and continuing education for teachers from the pre-school to adult level. The faculty also includes an interdisciplinary graduate school, the Institute of Tema Research, which specializes in technology and social change, health and society, communication, water and environmental studies and child studies, thus integrating the main themes from various disciplines in order to examine diverse and complex modern societal problems. There are many reasons why these three faculties within Linktiping University have become a seedbed for new technology-based firms. For example, one of the main research areas of the university is within computer and information science, which has gained an international reputation for its activities in the areas of artificial intelligence, expert systems and programming environments. In addition, the nature of the research being carried out within the department is geared towards the development of specific computerbased solutions to industrial and business problems (for example, the design and analysis of effective algorithms is directly relevant to computer graphics and robotics). This can lead to numerous opportunities for the commercial development of a particular computer technology, process or product. Indeed, as various studies have demonstrated, the computer services sector is dominated by small firms, and is often the easiest type of small technologybased firm to establish [9, 10]. The university, being a young organization, has also encouraged different methods of undertaking academic research, especially in relation to industrial needs. This is reflected, to a large extent, in the multidisciplinary nature of the research being undertaken at the university, which has greater commercial application. For example, a project team within the Department of Physics and Measurement Technology is developing, in association with the Computer Assistance in Engineering team from the Department of Computing and Information Science, a project designing programming environments to enable sensor-
,
SUmulalJonof technology-basedsmallfinns
equipped industrial robots to make intelligent decisions.
Foundation for Small Business Development in Linkrping (SMIL)--and the university--represented by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).
In addition, the university has established and encouraged a tradition of technology transfer by its staff. For example, one of the first firms to spin out from the university was OFO Electronics, which was established in 1977 by academics from the Management and Economics Department to design and manufacture professional sound and light equipment for orchestras and institutions. Other early successful firms include Sectra Secure Transmissions AB, which emerged from the university's Electrical Engineering Department in 1978. Through developing various services in the area of digital communications, the company now employs 56 people and has a current turnover of 40 MSEK (US$5.3 million). The success of these firms, and the retention of a close relationship with the university (e.g. various professors are sitting on the boards of these firms and many of the firms' employees are former PhD students from different departments), have legitimized the process of academic entrepreneurship within Linkrping University. To date, over 350 small technology-based spin-offs have been established in the Linkrping region, with aprpoximately 70 of these emerging directly as a result of academic research activities. These companies are characterized by products based on advanced technology or technological expertise that is decisive for market success. Most are active in high-technology areas such as image processing, fibre composites, electronics, network security, sensors and vacuum technology. The number of employees varies considerably between the firms, with the largest academic-based firm employing 700 people, whilst a few others have also passed the 100-employee mark. However, the majority have between one and five employees and tend to offer consultant services on a limited basis. In total, the firms provide a labour market contribution of nearly 1500 employees, with the three largest firms together employing over 1200 people.
3. ORGANIZINGSTIMULA'nON'ACllVmESBETWEEN UNIVERSITYAND INDUSTRY:THE CASEOF ClE-SMIL The supporting network in the Linkrping area is highly conducive to the development of innovation within, and the growth of, new technology-based firms. During the last ten years, a network has evolved which incorporates a close interaction between the small technology-based firms--represented by the ~'Stimulation' constitutes measures for increasing the competence level of firms; these measureshave the followinggoals: to increase the numberof businessstart-ups;to improvethe qualityof these firms; to increase the chances for survival of new and existing firms; to encouragetheirgrowthand development.Successfulactivitiesare consideredto be activitiesstronglyanchoredin the firm(a high frequency of participation, a continuedhigh attendance in new activities, and positive evaluationresults) and endorsedby the backers (willingness to financeactivities).
SMIL was founded in 1984 by a group of business leaders and people from Linkrping University. SMIL is actually a development (an outgrowth) of a previously existing club of spin-off firms founded by the Industrial Liaison Office (ILO). Its origin stems from the realization by the university and the member firms that the club needed more structure and organization to be an effective support organization. At this time, i.e. the first half of the 1980s, there were frequent spin-off activities occurring in the Linkrping business community, with approximately 40 firms being established. The majority of these originated from the university, but others came from various high-technology industrial firms in the region such as the Saab Aircraft Division, Ericsson Radio and Swedish Defence Research Establishment, and the first members were recruited from both of these groups. The initial activities of SMIL consisted of breakfast meetings where lecturers were invited to speak on subjects of current interest to the founders of the small technology-based firms. Over time, these activities have continued to grow and develop into a number of different events. At the start there were 20 members, and today there are approximately 150 firms in the group, all located in the vicinity of Link0ping, These firms are offered a number of well-defined activities. The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) is an autonomous unit at Linkrping University that conducts activities intended to stimulate the growth and development of technology-based firms. These activities are planned and conducted in close cooperation with SMIL, whose membership is composed of small technology-based firms in the Linkrping area. The main purpose of CIE is to create a fruitful integration between stimulation activities for technology-based firms, and the teaching and research of technology-based entrepreneurship within the university. Together, CIE-SMIL have formed close links with a number of support organizations, including the National Swedish Board for Technical Development (NUTEK, located in Stockholm), the Mj/irdevi Science Park and the Regional Development Fund (ALMI Frretagspartner i Ostergrtland AB). The close interaction between CIE and SMIL will be presented in more detail in this paper.
3-1 ~11.: aims and sln~re As the main driving force behind the start of SMIL was the founders' interest in developing themselves as businessmen, the initial goal of SMIL was designed to reflect this and concentrated on stimulation activities designed for business leaders. The need for management competence and contacts of prime importance for business development would be satisfied by:
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• offering access to effective management resources; • promoting an exchange of experiences and cooperation between firms in matters of development; • giving access to networks; • providing advertising for the firms. Those who wished to participate in SMIL's activities had to apply for membership since this was considered to be an important instrument for generating commitment and establishing strong relations between the firms. Only organizations able to contribute to the activities of the foundation and small, technology-based firms were allowed to join SMIL. From the beginning, SMIL has had a management board comprising both business executives and representatives from the university. The connection between the business world and the academic system has been very profitable. Three main advantages have resulted from this connection: 1. the satisfaction of firm needs. The real needs of the firms in the SMIL network were able to be identified, clarified, and transformed into concrete activities, with the representatives from the firms providing the experience and understanding of the business world, and the academics the structured knowledge of small business development; 2. the synergistic effects between business and academics. A secretariat was made available at the university where one person--an enthusiast-could manage the operation and development of SMIL. This person, because of his position at the university, was able to combine the work in SMIL with research and teaching. The synergies created as a result of this combination have been to the advantage of both the firms and the university, with small technology-based ventures becoming an important source of knowledge in the development of courses and, moreover, constituting an excellent source of research activities. In return, the firms have been able to take advantage of students at the university---e.g., in connection with the drawing up of business and marketing plans--as well as having immediate and direct access to research findings regarding the different factors that are important for growth and development; 3. increased legitimacy in the eyes of the financiers. Many of the government backers have a policy not to support business organizations, which means that, on its own, SMIL would have had difficulties in attracting resources for its activities. However, the close connection between business and academics has resulted in the attraction of a number of development funds, such as the National Swedish Board for Technical Development (NUTEK) and the Regional Development Fund. Since the beginning, SMIL has remained a small,
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informal and flexible organization, resembling many of the small entrepreneurial firms it supports. It continues to have low overhead costs, even though its activities today have a considerably greater scope, both in terms of the number of members and the diversity of activities. Financing of the activities of SMIL occurs in a variety of ways. Each member pays a yearly membership fee of SKrl500 (US$200) per year, which is sufficient to finance some of the administrative costs.
3.2 ClE:spedfi¢ aclJviSesand services Over the years, a number of different activities have been developed by CIE, with the main emphasis on examining the different problems which occur at different times during a firm's development. With tailored activities, firms gain access to resources relevant to their particular stage of development (see Fig. 1). Those activities which have been developed can be divided into specific initiatives for SMIL members, including programmes for start-up firms, programmes for more established firms, and network activities. The success of these activities is as dependent on the contribution of the SMIL firms themselves to the group as it is on the efforts of CIE in leading the activities. Each activity has a coordinator who, together with resource persons (both academics and entrepreneurs) engaged for the project, is responsible for the implementation of the activity. There are three main activities undertaken by CIE for SMIL members: 1. The entrepreneurship and new business development programme. The main aim of the latest pro-
gramme to be developed--the entrepreneurship and new business development programme--is to solve the problems that can be encountered in establishing and managing a new firm. It aims to recruit those individuals who have both a plausible business concept and an interest in starting and Growth and development
:r development
ier development
t-up Time CIE PROGRAMMES 1. Entrepreneurship and new business development programme 2. Development programmes 3. Management groups 4. Club and networking activities Fig. 1
Stimulation of tecimoloo-based small firms
running a business. To date, the primary target groups for the programme have been students, researchers at the university, and people in established business firms. The main structure of the programme involves a number of workshops where the central themes of entrepreneurship and small business management are discussed. In parallel with the workshops, the participants develop business plans for the establishment of the new venture, and certain financial resources are made available to cover the costs of, for example, meeting customers and market surveys. An important part of the programme is the process of mentoring for these fledgling entrepreneurs, which is carried out by one of SMIL's existing network of experienced businessmen. In addition, SMIL has secured cooperation with the local science park, which makes premises available for the new firms. At any one time, between ten and fifteen people will participate in the programme, which lasts one year, and experience has shown that slightly more than half of these participants will subsequently establish a new business. To date, since its inception, a total of ten firms have been established as a direct result of this programme. 2. The development programmes and the management groups. For the more established firms, various development programmes and management groups are available. Here, the basic idea is to update the business expertise in the firm by working out solutions to certain known specific problems in its activities. Common problems can include internationalization, market positioning, professional board management and quality assurance systems. It is important to point out that these are a series of 'keep-fit' measures for companies, and are not aimed at firms which are in acute management crises. During the programme, which covers eight to ten days spread over a year, a group of six to nine firms participates; each one is represented by a maximum of three people from the firm's managerial team. Specific problems are solved in smaller sub-groups composed of three to four firms. It is usual that group work is alternated with a series of lectures for the entire group, where problems that concern all the firms are discussed. Whilst the development programmes will be more general in nature (with different firms discussing a variety of company-related problems together), the management groups are more focused, and concentrate on the solution of just one specific problem common to all the participating firms. Another important difference is that the development programme is targeted towards firms in an earlier phase of development than those which will partake in management groups. This concept is based on the fact that it is more suitable
first to solve a firm's management problems on a more general level prior to concentrating on more specific problems. It is therefore an advantage if the participants in the management group have already taken part in one of the development groups. To date, approximately 100 firms have taken part in the development and management group programme, with about 200 people participating. . The club and networking activities. The third function of CIE, in conjunction with SMIL, is the coordination of the club and networking activities whose main aim is to create a social network and exchange of information between firms in the SMIL group. Each month, activities such as pubnights and various forms of seminars, where junior businessmen can meet senior businessmen and exchange experiences, are arranged. Each activity attracts between 15 and 30 firms. Other forms of network building can be found in the booklet Ideas that Really Mean Business, where information such as firm addresses, lines of business, products and markets are listed. The catalogue is distributed both in Sweden and internationally, and is a good marketing device for firms in the SMIL group. More recently, attempts have been made to establish an alliance with organizations similar to SMIL in Sweden and abroad, with the intention of developing collaborative projects (of either a technical or a marketing character) which could be initiated between member firms in SMIL and firms connected to a suitable collaborating partner. Unfortunately, this work has not yet produced any concrete result, primarily because it has not been possible to find a suitable partner. The yearly budget for carrying out the activities is between SKrl.5 million to SKr2.0 million (US$0.2 million to US$0.3 million) per year, which reflects the estimated need for stimulation efforts during the coming year. Another fee, which varies depending on the extent and availability of financing, is always charged for participation in an activity. Participation in one of the larger programmes costs approximately SKrl0000 to SKr20000 (US$1500 to US$2500) per firm. The primary source of funding, however, has been the public grants to ILO and CIE which, in connection with SMIL, have supplied resources for the activities. In this way, the attendance fees for firms have been kept low. Financing for projects has always been a question of seeking funds after a need has been defined and an idea for an activity formulated. One important part of funding has also been the sensitivity to the wishes of the Government authorities concerning stimulation. When public funds have been made available, the strategy has been to quickly formulate proposals, apply for funding and, if granted, convert the funds into activities tailored to specific needs. Indeed, since
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its inception, the availability of financial resources from Government authorities to CIE has been satisfactory.
4. WHYHASTHESMILMODELBEENSUCCESSFUL? The stimulation model described above must be considered successful in terms of the strong support by both the firms and the financiers for the activities. It is difficult to isolate any distinct factors behind the success, but the following five are considered to be especially important:
1. The ability to meet real needs. The activities were grounded in the firms' experienced need of various kinds of stimulation. Through the activities, it was then possible to identify and put into concrete form the firms' real needs in order then to offer tailored solutions. As a result, the firms have been able to take appropriate measures such as the development of a more consistent business idea, the effective utilization of market and business plans, the instigation of reward systems for employees, and finding partners in different areas such as financing and product development marketing. 2. The core group. A management board of competent and committed people with different roles was available. The members of the board all have an understanding of small business, possess structural knowledge, and have access to an enthusiastic leader who can promote the activities of the group. 3. A clear focus. Since the start, CIE-SMIL has focused on the development of the management of small, technology-based firms concentrating, in particular, on the executive group within the venture. Activities based on this principle have then been developed and carried out, which have resulted in an ability, by the management of these firms, to communicate effectively their plans for development to other actors such as potential financiers. 4. Credibility. The development of SMIL is characterized by a strong commitment by the majority of the firms. The trust they have in SMIL has depended on a well-functioning network with strong social dimensions. Participation in the stimulation activities has meant that firms, in many cases, must release information of a sensitive nature under an oath of silence. To date, nothing has leaked outside the group. 5. Close relations between SMIL and the university. Both institutions have complemented each other well through cooperation. SMIL can be thought of as being the eyes and ears of the market place where the firms' need for stimulation has been recognized, whilst CIE, as the university partner, has contributed a secretariat and financial resources, structural knowledge and credibility.
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5. CONCLUSIONS The CIE-SMIL case shows that well-functioning stimulation activities can be carried out with relatively limited means in terms of financial resources and organization, and the model presented here indicates that there are five different factors, connected to both the supply and the demand aspects of business stimulation, which lie behind the success of the entrepreneurship model outlined in this paper. However, the most important task for those intending to research in or practically carry out stimulation of growth and development of technology-based firms is to create an understanding of those mechanisms that lie behind the criteria for success. As this case has demonstrated, special interest should be paid to those mechanisms at work behind a firm's real need for stimulation, and organizations involved in developing spin-off activities from universities should concentrate on understanding a few key issues, including: •
What methods can be used to determine the actual need of a firm for stimulation? How is it possible to determine whether a firm is an effective recipient of stimulation? What stimulation is necessary? Who determines the type of stimulation to be used?
• • •
However, as the CIE-SMIL case shows, the successful development of these activities cannot happen overnight, and requires the patient development, over time, of close networking activities between academia and industry.
REFERENCES 1 M. Castells and P. Hall. Technopoles of the
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World--the Making of 21st Century Industrial Complexes. Routledge, London, 1994. P. Westhead and D.J. Storey. An Assessment of Firms Located On and Off Science Parks in the United Kingdom. HMSO, London, 1994. K.J. Samsom and M.A. Gurdon. University scientists as entrepreneurs--a special case of technology transfer and high-tech venturing. Technovation, 13(2) (1993) 63-71. E.J. Malecki. Technology and Regional Development. Longman, Harlow, 1991. M. Klofsten. Technology-based firms: critical aspects of their early development. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 2(1) (1994) 535-557. C. Olofsson, P. Davidsson and C. Wahlbin. The growth and roles of new technology-based firms-A study of university spin-off in Sweden. Paper presented at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-sized Businesses Workshop, J6nk6ping International Business School, 14-16 September 1994. D.J. Bower. Company and Campus Partnership-Supporting Technology Transfer. Routledge, London, 1992.
SlJmulation of technology-based small firms
8 M. Klofsten. D. Jones-Evans and P. Lindell. Growth factors in technology-based spin-offs: A Swedish study. Piccola Impresa (forthcoming) (1996). 9 D. Jones-Evans and D.A. Kirby. The formation and development of small technical professional service providers in the north east of England - a preliminary study. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 7(2) (1995) 21--40. 10 J. Howells. Developments in the location, technology and industrial organization of computer services: some trends a n d research issues. Regional Studies, 21(6) (1987) 493-503. Magnus Klofsten is senior lecturer in business administration at the Department of Management and Economics, Linkfping University. He is also director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Link6ping University, director of the Link6ping Foundation for Small Business Development, and chairman of the Link6ping New Business Development Centre. Previously, he was industrial liaison officer at Link6ping University from 1986 to1994. Dr Klofsten is currently involved in a
number of research projects examining small technology-based firms, including an examination of birth processes in such firms; development of a model for stimulating small technology-based firms; spin-off success management; key growth patterns. He has also taught a number of courses involving entrepreneurship and small business development to both students and the business community.
Dylan Jones-Evans is currently a European Commission Human Capital and Mobility Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Business Research Programme, Michael Smurlit Graduate School of Business, University College, Dublin. His project is to examine the competitive advantage of peripheral regions in the European Community, with particular reference to the role played by universities in developing industrial technological capability. He received his PhD from Aston Business School, Birmingham, and his MSc from the Department of Science and Technology Policy, University of Manchester. Between 1992 and 1994 he worked as a research officer at Durham University Business School, mainly on studies examining technology-based firms in the service sector. Research interests have focused on technical entrepreneurship and small innovative companies and he has written over thirty conference and journal articles in this area. He is co-founder of the Entrepreneurship Research Network in Ireland and a director of Young Enterprise Ireland.
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]P,ANSLATIONSOF ABSTRACTS
Hilfe auf, die am wichtigsten zur Beschleunigung der Kommerzialisierung neuer Technologien ist. Die F~ihigkeit dieser Typologien, die Erfolgsrate der kommerziellen Entwicklung neuer Technologien zu erklaren, wird mittels Daten von kleinen Firmen und unabh~gigen Erfindern, die am energieverwandten Erfindungsprogramm (ERIP) teilgenommen haben, illustriert. Das ERIP ist ein Programm auf bundesstaatlicher Ebene, das gemeinsam vom US Energieministerium und dem Nationalen Institut for Normen und Technologie betrieben wird und entwickelt wurde, um der Entwicklung von nichtnuklearen Erfindungen mit herausragendem Potential zum Sparen oder Produzieren von Energie Hilfestellung zu leisten.
Los factores humanosy el proceso de la innovaciGn
desarrollo de las invenciones no-nucleares con posibilidades excepcionales para el ahorro o la producci6n de energLa.
SSmulaUon of technology-based small firms--a case study of universityindustry cooperation M. Klofsten and D. Jones-Evans
Technovation, 16(4)(1996), 187-193
Stimuler les peStes enb~prises technologiques: Un exemple de collaboraUon en~ I'industrie et runiversit~
Resumen En este documento se intenta describir dos tipologfas de los factores humanos que facilitan la explicaci6n del proceso tEcnico de la innovaci6n y demostrar su potencia de progn6stico. E1 primer tipologfa define las cinco categoffas de inventores segfin su manera de ver el Exito y segfin sus correspondientes actitudes hacia la tecnologfa, la manera de llegar al mercado y la creaci6n de negocio. Estos cinco tipos en disminuyendo orden de posibilidades de Exito con innovaciones tEcnicas son: "empresarios con tecnologfa", "inventores para industrias especificas", "inventores profesionales", "subvencionistas", e "inventores veteranos/imparables". E1 segundo tipologfa categoriza los motivos detr~s de las elecciones de los inventores en el desarrollo de sus tecnologfas. Los administradores de los programas de innovaciones deben tomar en cuenta los factores que motivan a los inventores ya que el Exito de cualquier programa de innovaci6n exige un cierto grado de interlace de los prop6sitos del programa con la propia definici6n de Exito del inventor. Estas tipologfas pueden ayudar a los administradores de los programas de innovaciones a repartir unos escasos recursos hacia aquellos inventores con mayores probabilidades de Exito comercial. TambiEn ayuda a distinguir quE tipos de ayuda serian m~is efectivos en la acceleraci6n de la comercializaci6n de las nuevas tecnologfas. Se demuestra la capacidad de estas tipologfas para explicar las tasas de Exito en el desarrollo comercial de las nuevas tecnologfas utilizando datos proporcionados por los inventores de las empresas pequefias e independientes que participaron en el Programa de Invenciones Relacionadas con la Energia (ERIP). ERIP es un programa federal llevado en conjunto entre el departamento estadounidense de energia (U.S. Department of Energy) y el instituto nacional de est~indares y tecnologfa (National Institute of Standards and Technology), disefiado para apoyar el
R~sum I1 est bien connu que les directeurs de firmes technologiques qui en sont aussi les propri&aires ont souvent des compEtences techniques d'un tr~s haut niveau, mais qu'ils sont moins qualifies en termes de dEveloppement commercial. Par consequent, de faqon traiter ces faiblesses, il a 6tE suggErE qu'une partie importante du soutien offert h ces entreprises, prenne la forme d'une aide au dEveloppement des compEtences gestionnaires et commerciales des directeurs. Dans ce papier on dEcrit un module de rEussite qui a EtE dEveloppE sur une pEriode de dix ans, pour stimuler le dEveloppement et la croissance de petites entreprises technologiques. On prend en compte quatre activitEs interdEpendantes: l'entreprenariat et les nouveaux programmes de dEveloppement commercial, les groupes de gestion et les activitEs de rEseaux et de clubs. Le succ~s de ces activit6s stimulatrices peut, par dessus tout, Etre lie ~ cinq facteurs: une capacitE ~ rEsoudre les demandes rEelles, un noyau solide, une optique claire, de la crEdibilitE et des relations Etroites entre l'organisation stimulatrice et l'universitE. L'une des taches importantes des chercheurs et des praticiens est de comprendre les mEcanismes intimes de ces facteurs, afin de rEussir.
SSmulierung von technologiebasierten kleinen Firmec ~ne Fallstudie zur Zusammenarl)eit zwischen Induslfie und UniversitJt
Abriss Es nehmer lerweise aber auf
ist wohlbekannt, dab Eigenttimer-Untervon technologiebasierten Firmen normatiberlegene technische F~aigkeiten haben, dem Gebiet von Unternehmensentwicklung
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