Peter van der Sijde

Education and training for entrepreneurs: a consideration of initiatives in Ireland and The Netherlands

A growing body of academic research has examined the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training and support initiatives, with recent studies focusing on the provision of training and other skills development opportunities. An important theme that has emerged from this work is the failure of many programmes and initiatives to take on board the particular needs of the entrepreneurs in developing training and support systems. By extending research in this area, this article considers the importance of education and training to the economy and focuses on the particular value of entrepreneurship education and training. Some of the fundamental themes in the literature are reviewed, including the difficulties involved in categorising entrepreneurship education and training; the issue of whether or not entrepreneurship can be taught; the content of entrepreneurship programmes and the cultural and evaluative considerations. The article discusses and compares training and support provision for entrepreneurs in Ireland and The Netherlands.

Entrepreneurs' attitudes to training and support initiatives: evidence from Ireland and The Netherlands

Increasingly, academics, practitioners and governments recognise the need to examine the role and effectiveness of entrepreneurship training and support. Studies to date have examined the importance of training and other skill development opportunities in promoting entrepreneurship in the context of different sectors, regions and countries. An important theme to emerge from the research is the failure of some programmes to take on board the cultural, educational and social background of the “entrepreneurs”, leading to ineffective training and support. This paper investigates the effectiveness of training and support initiatives for entrepreneurs in Ireland and The Netherlands, examining the experiences of 57 entrepreneurs from the services, manufacturing and high technology sectors in Ireland and The Netherlands. The results highlight the value of non‐formal support structures, such as mentoring and networking, and question the value of traditional formal business education and training strategies.

Support of University Spin-off Companies

In this paper the process of the business development of spin-off companies from universities is described. The authors discuss each phase of development (awareness, feasibility, start-up, growth and maturity) and provide examples of each phase. They describe in particular the example of the University of Twente and its spin-off programme, TOP (Temporary Entrepreneurial Positions). Secondly, they focus on university spin-off programmes: what are the arguments against and in favour of such initiatives? The arguments that led the University of Twente to favour investment in spin-off programmes are discussed. The final section of the paper concerns the EU-supported UNISPIN project, a systematic approach to university spin-off development throughout all member states of the European Union.In this paper the process of the business development of spin-off companies from universities is described. The authors discuss each phase of development (awareness, feasibility, start-up, growth and maturity) and provide examples of each phase. They describe in particular the example of the University of Twente and its spin-off programme, TOP (Temporary Entrepreneurial Positions). Secondly, they focus on university spin-off programmes: what are the arguments against and in favour of such initiatives? The arguments that led the University of Twente to favour investment in spin-off programmes are discussed. The final section of the paper concerns the EU-supported UNISPIN project, a systematic approach to university spin-off development throughout all member states of the European Union.

Does context matter in academic entrepreneurship? The role of barriers and drivers in the regional and national context

With pressure on universities to better contribute to society, academic entrepreneurship is an increasingly recognised source of new knowledge and technologies as well as being a driver of the movement to a knowledge society. However, whilst growing, the level of academic entrepreneurship in Europe is still relatively low. Two reasons that are factors influencing this are inhibitors (barriers) and facilitators (drivers), however the understanding of how their interplay influences academic entrepreneurship, particularly across different context is lacking. For this reason, this study focussed on two environmental settings, European regions and countries, seeking to understand if it is the hurdle (barrier) or (and/or) tail-wind (drivers) that most impacts academic entrepreneurship and how does the regional or national context influence this. An online survey was translated into 22 languages and undertaken in 33 countries in Europe and the European Economic Area. From the original data set, 12 countries in four European regions provided a sample of 2925 responses, with a second step to focus on four ‘lead’ countries within those regions. The results show that there is a significant difference in the university-business cooperation barriers and drivers that effect academic entrepreneurship in the European regions. Furthermore, different barriers and drivers were found to significantly affect the four lead countries with barriers and drivers being able to provide a good explanation of the extent of academic entrepreneurship in the UK and Germany, and a limited explanation of entrepreneurial activity by Spanish and Polish academics. Overall the article contributes to the literature of resource-based theory and also the understanding of factors influencing European academic entrepreneurship.

Organisational Conditions for Corporate Entrepreneurship in Dutch Organisations

Corporate entrepreneurship is a topic of attraction for many managers in corporate enterprises. In the early 1980s, several researchers discovered the importance of entrepreneurship and its role in organisational renewal, innovation, risk taking and creation of new businesses. Corporate entrepreneurship became a subject of interest because of its beneficial effect on revitalisation and performance of the firms. Studies on this topic focused mainly on the organisational factors like freedom, organisational boundaries and management support which influence intrapreneurship. In the late 1990s, the popularity of this subject rose. This article focuses on the relationship between organisational characteristics and present conditions for corporate entrepreneurship in Dutch organisations. A questionnaire administered in Dutch organisations received 711 responses. In this article, the analyses of the questionnaire are presented via an exploratory factor analysis and a subsequent confirmation analysis. Four factors/scales were identified: centralisation (αlpha = 0.75), cooperation between colleagues (αlpha = 0.76), cooperation between departments (αlpha = 0.77) and formalisation (αlpha = 0.75). These factors are connected with the perception of corporate entrepreneurship. The respondents were asked about the level at which they found themselves entrepreneurial. The conditions and the perceptions taken together give a fair overview of the corporate spirit of an organisation.

Supporting high-tech companies reaching the business platform: about the role of training, coaching and networking

This paper addresses the support structures in the regions surrounding two European Universities, the University of Twente (UT) in the Netherlands and the University of Linkoping in Sweden, with an established track record in spinning out high-tech companies. This paper details programmes and activities undertaken by the Universities in an effort to create and foster entrepreneurship. This paper details support mechanisms which can be utilised by high-tech companies to aid them in reaching the highest level for each of the cornerstones in the business platform, thus providing a stronger footing from which the company can grow. In a comparison of the support structures surrounding the two Universities three support mechanisms have been identified, namely: training, coaching and networking. In conclusion, we offer recommendations for using these support mechanisms to other regions/universities and we further explain the differences and similarities between the two universities.

Entrepreneurship Encouragement and Business Development Support at Universities and Science Parks Proposal for a New Conceptualization

New stakeholders and new roles for old stakeholders have emerged with the development of entrepreneurial universities. A new systemic framework is therefore required which includes these various stakeholders and their goals and thus gives a clear picture of the process of entrepreneurship encouragement and business development support (EE&BDS). The authors propose a model for knowledge transfer and company growth in the context of entrepreneurial universities and science parks. This integrative approach to the roles of the different stakeholders, activities, tools, goals and needs facilitates the arrangement and management of the EE&BDS process. The authors describe and assess their EE&BDS model, presenting the case of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and the science park linked to it, the Polytechnic City of Innovation (CPI). The analysis identifies the roles of and relationships among the UPV-CPI stakeholders and shows how this integrative approach can enhance the EE&BDS process for the institution.

Creating a Climate for University Spin-Offs

UNISPIN is a project designed to promote university spin-off companies among the universities and regions of Europe. In this context, a university spin-off is a company that uses technology developed in a higher education institution for its start-up. From the experience of the UNISPIN scheme, it is clear that one of the most important prerequisites for a spinoff programme in an institution is the existence of an entrepreneurial climate. In this paper, the authors first discuss the development of an entrepreneurial climate and the spin-off potential of universities. They then look at UNISPIN and its approach before analysing effective ‘tools’ for the creation of a positive culture and the implementation of a systematic programme for the creation of university spin-off companies.

Supporting university- industry linkages A case study of the relationship between the organizational and individual levels

The literature emphasizes the importance of ensuring that measures developed at the organizational level are transferable to the individual level. This is important not only for effective technology and knowledge transfer in general, but also and especially for university–industry linkages. This study reflects on support mechanisms identified by previous studies as important in the support and fostering of such linkages and examines their implementation through a case study of the Münster University of Applied Sciences. Using qualitative analysis, the authors demonstrate how the support mechanisms developed by the management of the university can be translated to the individual level and thereby can encourage and foster university–industry linkages.

The Role of Universities in the Entrepreneurship Industry: Promoting the Entrepreneurship Agenda in HEIs

It is becoming increasing clear that a new industry – the entrepreneurship industry – is in the ascendant and that universities are a part of this development. Furthermore, the idea of the entrepreneurial university has only recently entered the debate. Promoting the entrepreneurship agenda within constituencies where it is not traditionally acknowledged is a peculiar challenge that requires the adoption and adaptation of traditional selling approaches (‘valorisation mechanisms’), mindful that the product on offer (‘entrepreneurship’) is a service. Via three case studies, the role of universities in this new industry and the role of academic entrepreneurship are highlighted.