Science and Technology-based Regional Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands: Building Support Structures for Business Creation and Growth Entrepreneurship

Willem Hulsink, Kashifa Suddle and Jolanda Hessels

ERIM Report Series Research in Management from Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam

Abstract: In this contribution we develop a theoretical framework derived from the national system of innovation literature and the subsequent criticisms voiced by regional scientists and industry/technology experts who emphasize the importance of the intermediate subnational and sectoral levels to analysing science- and technology-based regional entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. The national system of innovation of the Netherlands, and its specifics and peculiarities, and the country’s general entrepreneurship policy, and the most important policy and support initiatives are subsequently discussed. Based on a desire to overcome the knowledge paradox between fundamental research and market needs and on the recognition that the Netherlands lags behind other countries when it comes to innovative entrepreneurship, various changes and initiatives were recently introduced in the Netherlands. The impression is of an overambitious national government with numerous programmes, schemes and agencies involved, sometimes working with each other but at other times separately as well, and its effectiveness can be questioned. Serious paperwork and preparation is involved in the participation in most programes and, together with the complexity of these programmes and policies, small and young entrepreneurs are neither informed, ready or well-equipped; some of them are not even interested in participating in those schemes.

Keywords: high-growth entrepreneurship; knowledge transfer; regional entrepreneurship; science & technology policy; system of innovation; the Netherlands; universities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: M M13 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-08-05
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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