Dylan Jones-Evans

Comparing Academic Entrepreneurship in Europe – The Case of Sweden and Ireland

One of the greatest challenges facing European economies is the comparatively limited capacity to convert scientific breakthroughs and technological achievements into industrial and commercial successes. As a result, there is growing awareness of the proactive approach being undertaken by academic institutions, with many adopting a direct entrepreneurial role in collaborating with industry. This paper examines the activities of those academics involved with industry within two small European countries, namely Sweden and Ireland. In particular, it discusses and contrasts the extent to which academic entrepreneurship (i.e. all commercialisation activities outside of the normal university duties of basic research and teaching) has developed. It examines the influence of gender, age, previous entrepreneurial experience, work experience and university environment on the entrepreneurship activities of a sample of academics in both countries. The results demonstrate that there is considerable entrepreneurial experience among academics in both countries, and that this translates into a high degree of involvement in soft activities such as consultancy and contract research, but not into organizational creation via technology spin-offs.

Creating a Bridge between University and Industry in Small European Countries - The Role of the Industrial Liaison Office

The frequent and intermittent need for new scientific knowledge has resulted in an increasing focus on links between industry and academic institutions. This has been particularly pronounced in the flows of knowledge between the two partners, which may lead to considerable diffusion of scientific and technical knowledge, particularly into the small firm sector. This development could be of particular benefit to smaller peripheral economies, which have demonstrated low levels of indigenous industrial technological development. As a result, universities could become increasingly important for local economic development in smaller countries on the periphery of Europe. However, a greater understanding is required of the pro-active role that the university itself can play in developing strong linkages with industry, particularly through mechanisms such as the Industrial Liaison Office (ILO). In particular, there needs to be an examination of the strategies and policies that are undertaken to increase the process of technology transfer from academia into local indigenous business within smaller countries. This paper will therefore examine the role that universities play in the regional economic development in two contrasting small countries of Europe, namely Sweden and Ireland. Drawing on interviews with key individuals in the processes of technology transfer between academia and industry (including ILOs), as well as secondary data, it will examine the general role and function of the industrial liaison office and how this has changed. It will also discuss the involvement of the university in different types of industrial links, the main opportunities and barriers to the development of links between university and industry, the benefits to the university from industrial links, and the perception of industry’s assessment of the relationship with universities. The research will provide valuable insight into the role of universities in developing innovation and entrepreneurship within the smaller and peripheral countries of Europe and will determine whether these universities are undertaking a pro-active role in encouraging the growth of innovative indigenous industry. This may have significant policy implications, especially with regard to the development of specific regional programmes to encourage academic-based entrepreneurship.

Stimulation of technology-based small firms—A case study of university-industry cooperation

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 10-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.

A typology of technology‐based entrepreneurs

Despite increasing evidence of the use of typologies in entrepreneurship research, comparatively little work has attempted to distinguish between different types of technical entrepreneur. Aims to develop such a typology. Examines previous research into the organizational backgrounds from which technical entrepreneurs have emerged to form new ventures. Follows this with an analysis of detailed qualitative interviews administered to a sample of technical entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom, which leads to the formulation of a typology of technical entrepreneurs based on their previous occupations and, in particular, on the role played by the technical entrepreneurs in the development of technology with past employers.

Women and Home-based Entrepreneurship Evidence from the United Kingdom

For women, owning and managing a home-based business can provide the flexibility to meet family responsibilities and undertake employment, although potentially at the cost of business performance and growth. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey for the UK, this research note explores the characteristics of those self-employed women who operate their businesses from home. Results indicate that a greater proportion of women with poor levels of entrepreneurial resources are more likely to operate home-based businesses, suggesting this decision is shaped by circumstance.The research also finds that such home-based businesses are more likely to operate part time, thus contributing further to their marginality. Les femmes et lentrepreneuriat depuis chez soi Témoignage du Royaume-Uni Piers Thompson Institut de lUniversité du pays de Galles, Cardiff, R.-U. Dylan Jones-Evans Université du pays de Galles, R.-U. Caleb Kwong Université dEssex, R.-U. Pour la femme, le fait de posséder et de gérer sa propre entreprise à partir de chez soi peut lui offrir la possibilité dassumer ses devoirs familiaux et de pouvoir travailler, bien que potentiellement aux dépens du rendement et de lessor de lentreprise. Sappuyant sur des informations émanant de lenquête GEM (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor — Moniteur de lentrepreneuriat mondial), cette note de recherche analyse les caractéristiques des femmes travaillant à leur compte à partir de chez elles. Les résultats, auxquels est parvenue cette étude, indiquent quune grande proportion de femmes disposant de ressources entrepreneuriales modestes a davantage tendance à diriger leurs activités de chez elles, suggérant que cette décision a un caractère circonstanciel. Létude indique en outre que ce type dactivités est probablement géré sur une base à temps partiel, — facteur qui contribue davantage à la marginalisation de ces femmes. Las mujeres y el emprendedurismo desde casa Informe del Reino Unido Piers Thompson Instituto de la Universidad de Gales, Cardiff, RU Dylan Jones-Evans Universidad de Gales, RU Caleb Kwong Universidad de Essex, RU Para las mujeres, el hecho de dirigir su propia empresa desde casa puede ofrecer la flexibilidad para afrontar sus responsabilidades familiares y trabajar por cuenta propia, aunque potencialmente a costa del desempeño y crecimiento de la empresa. Este informe de investigación, basado en los datos de la encuesta del Monitor de Emprendedurismo Global para el Reino Unido, examina las características de las mujeres que trabajan por cuenta propia desde casa. Los resultados indican que gran parte de las mujeres con bajos niveles de recursos empresariales son más propensas a dirigir sus empresas desde casa, sugiriendo que esta decisión es determinada por las circunstancias. La investigación también descubrió que estas empresas suelen trabajar en horario de jornada reducida, contribuyendo, por tanto, a su marginalidad. Frauen und heimbasiertes Unternehmertum Nachweise aus Groβbritannien Piers Thompson University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Groβbritannien Dylan Jones-Evans University of Wales, Groβbritannien Caleb Kwong Universität Essex, Groβbritannien Frauen erhalten durch ein eigenes, heimbasiertes Unternehmen die Flexibilität, die es ihnen ermöglicht, familiäre Verantwortung und Berufstätigkeit zu vereinbaren. Dies geschieht jedoch oft auf Kosten von Unternehmensleistung und — wachstum. Mit Daten aus der ,Global Entrepreneurship Monitor-Umfrage in Großbritannien untersucht diese Arbeit die Charaktereigenschaften dieser selbstständigen Frauen, die ihre Unternehmen von zu Hause aus führen. Ergebnisse zeigen, dass ein großer Teil der Frauen, die ein Unternehmen von zu Hause aus führen, über eher weniger unternehmerische Ressourcen verfügen, was darauf hinweist, dass diese Entscheidung eher aufgrund von Umständen getroffen wird. Diese Untersuchung ergab auch, dass solche Unternehmen eher in Teilzeit geführt werden, und so weiter zu ihrer Marginalität beitragen.

Technical Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Experience

DR. DYLAN JONES-EVANS IS European Union postdoctoral research fellow at the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College, Dublin, Ireland. The increasing contribution of technology- based small firms to both employment and innovation within high-technology industries has led to considerable interest in their growth and development, especially in the identification of factors which may influenceithe future management and strategy of these ventures. Evidence from qualitative interviews with thirty-eight technical entrepreneurs suggests that three main factors affect the strategy of the small technology-based firm, namely the age of the venture, the novelty of the technology used within the venture, and the previous management and technical competence of the entrepreneur. In terms of the future strategy of their businesses, approximately half of the entrepreneurs questioned were reluctant to grow their businesses beyond a certain size, preferring instead to remain small. Although age and size of the firm had minimal influence on growth orientation, the majority of technical entrepreneurs possessing a high degree of technical competence and those using radical technologies in their ventures demonstrated a major reluctance to grow their businesses beyond a certain size. This result, if confirmed by a larger, more comprehensive study, may have considerable implications with regard to policy towards small technology-based firms.

Developing entrepreneurial graduates: an action‐learning approach

Earlier this year, the University of Glamorgan Business School launched a conceptually new postgraduate programme, the Diploma in Entrepreneurial practice (DEP). This is a nine‐month long, full‐time course with selected business graduates undertaking a programme of study based around simulated and real projects to enhance their entrepreneurial skills, knowledge and attitudes. Aims to evaluate the inclusion of “taught” learning within what is fundamentally an action‐learning programme, and to discuss the issues around effective marketing of the DEP to industry and educationalists in Wales. Fundamental to the philosophy underpinning the DEP programme is that elements of entrepreneurship can be learned, and this paper explores the modes of learning entrepreneurship applied in the DEP programme and makes some initial assessment as to the different modes’ applicability on a course of this kind.

Differences in perceptions of access to finance between potential male and female entrepreneurs: Evidence from the UK

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine whether being female increases the probability that an individual feels difficulty in obtaining finance is a barrier to starting a business. The study aims to extend this to examine if a pure gender effect exists or whether it is the interaction of gender with demographic, economic and perceptual characteristics that plays the most important role in the perception of financial constraint.Design/methodology/approach – The data within this study are drawn from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) adult population survey between 2005 and 2007. The first stage of the study splits male and female respondents into separate sub‐samples and runs individual regressions on each portion of the sample. The second stage of the study combines the male and female portions of the sample to directly examine the differences in perceived financial constraint between genders.Findings – The findings suggest that a greater proportion of women are solely constrained by fina...

Growing the Linköping Technopole—A Longitudinal Study of Triple Helix Development in Sweden

In the context of successful examples of regional development in Sweden, the Linköping region is often named. Whilst maintaining a historical reputation for culture and learning, Linköping has developed, during the last thirty years, as a major centre within Sweden for technological growth, especially in the creation and development of new technology-based firms. This high technology environment has been further enhanced by the presence of a growing international university, a number of significant multinational high-technology companies and the location of several public sector research establishments. Previous research on regional development suggests that this milieu could be characterised as a ‘technopole,’ namely an arena where these organisations co-operate with each other in a formal or informal way to develop the technological capability of the region. This paper sets out to examine and describe the different ‘actors’ that have contributed to the recent development of Linköping as one of the fastest growing technological regions in Europe. The linkages between the actors are examined in detail. The results of the study indicate that one of the most important actors behind the positive development is the university. In addition, the development that has taken place over the last thirty years can be likened to a spiral where success begets success to foster a positive entrepreneurial climate.

Education and entrepreneurial activity: a comparison of White and South Asian men

Although a large body of literature exists on ethnic entrepreneurship and the relationship between education and entrepreneurial activity, comparatively little work has been undertaken to study the impact that university-level education has upon entrepreneurship within different ethnic minority groups. This article examines the entrepreneurial activity rates for graduates and non-graduates of three differing ethnic groups in the UK and shows that university education has differing influences across ethnic groups. While Pakistani graduate respondents were more likely to be involved in entrepreneurial activities as compared to non-graduates, education appeared to have less impact on increasing the interest in entrepreneurship of Indian adults. This is likely to be a reflection of the differing forces that have traditionally driven individuals from these communities into entrepreneurship, as indicated by a large Pakistani move from necessity-driven entrepreneurship to opportunity-driven entrepreneurship. Therefore, the relationship between entrepreneurship and education varies by ethnic minority group, and policy initiatives to increase entrepreneurship within these groups needs to be adjusted accordingly to be effective.