The impact of university-based incubation support on the innovation strategy of academic spin-offs

Danny Soetanto and Sarah Jack

Technovation, 2016, vol. 50-51, 25-40

Abstract: This paper develops understanding about how incubation support and innovation strategy can determine the performance of academic spin-offs. Using a sample of spin-offs from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, we analyse the potential moderating effect of incubation support (networking and entrepreneurial support) on innovation strategy effectiveness. The empirical results demonstrate: (1) a technology and market exploitation strategy has a stronger and more positive effect on the performance of spin-offs than a technology and market exploration strategy. In relation to an ambidextrous technology and market exploration and exploitation strategy, a market growth strategy (combining technology exploitation and market exploration) has a positive effect on performance while a product development strategy (combining technology exploration and market exploitation) has little effect on performance; (2) incubation support in the form of networking and entrepreneurial support has a positive effect on the performance of spin-offs; (3) networking support moderates the relationship between an exploitation strategy and spin-off performance while entrepreneurial support moderates the relationship between a market growth strategy and spin-off performance. By examining the interactions between types of innovation strategies and incubation support, this study provides a more refined understanding of the strategy selected by spin-offs. In doing so, it offers new insights about the role of incubator support in enhancing the effect of strategy on performance.

Keywords: Academic spin-offs; Incubation support; Exploration; Exploitation; Ambidexterity; Innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (51)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:techno:v:50-51:y:2016:i::p:25-40

DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2015.11.001

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