Heike Grimm

Local Strategies within a European Policy Framework

This article discusses the Lisbon Agenda from the perspective of entrepreneurship policy. After a brief overview of the events leading up to the development of the Lisbon Agenda, the authors describe the goals and content of this policy framework as well as of the structural funds. Using examples of initiatives towards implementation at the local level, the authors illustrate the necessity to promote entrepreneurship in order to foster economic growth in communities and regions. We assess how the new European growth policy became translated into an action plan realized through structural funds and community initiatives and demonstrate that a greater focus on entrepreneurship policy could strengthen the Lisbon Strategy and aid in the achievement of its goals.

The diffusion of Bayh-Dole to Germany: did new public policy facilitate university patenting and commercialisation?

New public policy enacted in Germany in 2002, intends to increase the number of patent registrations of academic entrepreneurs, and facilitate the commercialisation and spill-over of innovation generated at public universities. Results from a survey amongst university patentees of one German state (Thuringia) from 2009 are reported focused on government policy, university support and the role of technology transfer in an organisational and cultural context. Empirical findings show that new public policy contributed significantly to facilitate patent registrations but professional expertise for the commercialisation of knowledge, incentives and financial (or organisational) support schemes are still deficient. This article explains why patent registrations have slightly increased but also why universities report very low levels of commercialisation through entrepreneurship. Policy recommendations are offered to overcome the existent barriers, among them, the professionalisation and augmentation of technology transfer offices (in terms of staff, expertise and funding) or targeted marketing for registered patents.

Do Public Information and Subsidies Contribute to the Entrepreneurial Environment? An Exploratory Transatlantic Study with Local-Global Perspectives

Abstract Variations in the economic performance of nations and regions due to an ongoing globalization and economic liberalization have fuelled debates about the role of public policies in economic growth. This article contributes to the empirical debate on the role of public policies in stimulating start-ups and regional economic growth by looking at public information, public counseling services, and public start-up assistance programs for entrepreneurs in the United States and Germany. The goal of the qualitative cross-national study is to evaluate potentials of public support for entrepreneurs in a global environment.