Why are small public incubators 'lagging behind'? Learning from disability in the selection practices of a French incubator

Ines Gabarret, Annabelle Jaouen, Walid A. Nakara and Benjamin Vedel

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2014, vol. 23, issue 4, 456-477

Abstract: This research examines the selection practices used by a small public incubator (SPI) and its strategic implications. SPIs generally depend on small cities and often face difficulties due to a lack of resources and inadequate competitiveness in comparison with well-equipped and more reputed incubators. The selection of projects is the keystone in the development of these small structures. We develop a qualitative approach based on a single case study. Representatives from all the incubated projects were interviewed, as well as all the managers and we performed a thematic analysis of the discourses. The in-depth study of the selection practices and the project portfolio reveals a paradox regarding the incubator's strategic positioning objectives and the availability of resources. We conclude by discussing the strategic positioning of SPIs regarding in-house resources and the selection practices.

Keywords: small public incubators; SPIs; selection practices; entrepreneurial support; in-house resources; entrepreneurs; strategic positioning; competitiveness; project selection; projects; case studies; thematic analysis; entrepreneurship; disability; France; business incubators. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijesbu:v:23:y:2014:i:4:p:456-477

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