IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jadmsc/v13y2023i2p34-d1048959.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Impact of Universities’ Entrepreneurial Activity on Regional Competitiveness

Author

Listed:
  • Gonçalo Rodrigues Brás

    (IN+, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
    ISLA–Instituto Superior de Gestão e Administração de Santarém, 2000-241 Santarem, Portugal
    DEGEIT, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    CeBER, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra, 3004-512 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Miguel Torres Preto

    (IN+, LARSyS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal)

  • Ana Dias Daniel

    (DEGEIT, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    GOVCOPP, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Aurora A. C. Teixeira

    (CEF.UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto, 4200-464 Porto, Portugal
    INESC TEC, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the multidimensional construct of the Entrepreneurial University (EU), and therefore to confirm whether EU factors make a positive contribution to regional competitiveness. Data were collected from ten Portuguese Public Universities (PPUs) through a self-administered questionnaire. First- and second-order confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed through factor and multiple linear regression analyses. The main findings show that EU related factors—perceived and combined with actual regional metrics—especially entrepreneurial supporting measures, positively contributed to regional competitiveness. This study shows policy makers that universities are not merely cost centres but provide knowledge spillovers that can have a positive influence on regional competitiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Gonçalo Rodrigues Brás & Miguel Torres Preto & Ana Dias Daniel & Aurora A. C. Teixeira, 2023. "Assessing the Impact of Universities’ Entrepreneurial Activity on Regional Competitiveness," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:34-:d:1048959
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/2/34/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/13/2/34/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Romer, Paul M, 1986. "Increasing Returns and Long-run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(5), pages 1002-1037, October.
    2. Christopher S. Hayter & Andrew J. Nelson & Stephanie Zayed & Alan C. O’Connor, 2018. "Conceptualizing academic entrepreneurship ecosystems: a review, analysis and extension of the literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 1039-1082, August.
    3. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1992. "Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 383-397, August.
    4. Tarkkonen, L. & Vehkalahti, K., 2005. "Measurement errors in multivariate measurement scales," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 172-189, September.
    5. Klofsten, Magnus & Fayolle, Alain & Guerrero, Maribel & Mian, Sarfraz & Urbano, David & Wright, Mike, 2019. "The entrepreneurial university as driver for economic growth and social change - Key strategic challenges," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 149-158.
    6. Matthias Buerger & Tom Broekel & Alex Coad, 2012. "Regional Dynamics of Innovation: Investigating the Co-evolution of Patents, Research and Development (R&D), and Employment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(5), pages 565-582, August.
    7. Etzkowitz, Henry, 1998. "The norms of entrepreneurial science: cognitive effects of the new university-industry linkages," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 823-833, December.
    8. James A. Cunningham & Matthias Menter, 2021. "Transformative change in higher education: entrepreneurial universities and high-technology entrepreneurship," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 343-364, March.
    9. Udo Zander & Bruce Kogut, 1995. "Knowledge and the Speed of the Transfer and Imitation of Organizational Capabilities: An Empirical Test," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 76-92, February.
    10. Karl Aiginger, 2006. "Competitiveness: From a Dangerous Obsession to a Welfare Creating Ability with Positive Externalities," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 161-177, June.
    11. Paolo Postiglione & Alfredo Cartone & Domenica Panzera, 2020. "Economic Convergence in EU NUTS 3 Regions: A Spatial Econometric Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, August.
    12. Leslie Budd & Amer Hirmis, 2004. "Conceptual Framework for Regional Competitiveness," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(9), pages 1015-1028.
    13. Bramwell, Allison & Wolfe, David A., 2008. "Universities and regional economic development: The entrepreneurial University of Waterloo," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1175-1187, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Abreu, Maria & Grinevich, Vadim, 2024. "Intrapreneurial ecosystems in academia and their overlooked outputs: Graduate employability and wellbeing," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Nast, Carolin & Broekel, Tom & Entner, Doris, 2024. "Fueling the fire? How government support drives technological progress and complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
    3. Peter Mayerhofer, 2022. "Vorarlbergs Wirtschaft im europäischen Konkurrenzumfeld. Bericht zur internationalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit 2022," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 69424.
    4. David Audretsch & Marcel Hülsbeck & Erik Lehmann, 2012. "Regional competitiveness, university spillovers, and entrepreneurial activity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 587-601, October.
    5. Link, Albert & Sarala, Riikka, 2019. "Advancing Conceptualization of University Entrepreneurship Ecosystems: The Role of Knowledge-based Entrepreneurial Firms," UNCG Economics Working Papers 19-1, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics.
    6. Yildiz, H. Emre & Murtic, Adis & Zander, Udo, 2024. "Re-conceptualizing absorptive capacity: The importance of teams as a meso-level context," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    7. Rogerio S. Victer, 2020. "Connectivity knowledge and the degree of structural formalization: a contribution to a contingency theory of organizational capability," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, December.
    8. Kuckertz, Andreas & Scheu, Maximilian, 2024. "From chalkboard to boardroom: Unveiling the role of entrepreneurship in bolstering academic achievement among professors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    9. Zhang-Zhang, YingYing & Rohlfer, Sylvia & Varma, Arup, 2022. "Strategic people management in contemporary highly dynamic VUCA contexts: A knowledge worker perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 587-598.
    10. Centobelli, Piera & Cerchione, Roberto & Esposito, Emilio & Shashi,, 2019. "Exploration and exploitation in the development of more entrepreneurial universities: A twisting learning path model of ambidexterity," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 172-194.
    11. White, George O. & Rajwani, Tazeeb & Krammer, Sorin M.S., 2022. "Legal distance and entrepreneurial orientation of foreign subsidiaries: Evidence from Southeast Asia," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(6).
    12. Contractor, Farok J. & Ra, Wonchan, 2002. "How knowledge attributes influence alliance governance choices: A theory development note," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 11-27.
    13. Willy C. Shih, 2021. "Increasing the Level of Abstraction as a Strategy for Accelerating the Adoption of Complex Technologies," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 54-61, March.
    14. Robert Huggins & Hiro Izushi, 2013. "Knowledge-based Development in Leading Regions across the Globe: An Exploratory Analysis of the co-Evolution of Resources, Capabilities and Outputs," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(5), pages 1030-1048, April.
    15. Bi-Juan Zhong & Yaping Gong & Oded Shenkar & Yadong Luo & Zhixing Xiao & Shuming Zhao, 2023. "Managing the hearts of boundary spanners: CEO organizational identification and international joint venture performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 87-119, March.
    16. Namgyoo Park & John Mezias & Jinju Lee & Jae-Hoon Han, 2014. "Reverse knowledge diffusion: Competitive dynamics and the knowledge seeking behavior of Korean high-tech firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 355-375, June.
    17. Vesna Vlaisavljevic & Carmen Cabello Medina & Ana Pérez-Luño, 2014. "Does The Diversity Of Partners In Alliances Guarantees Innovation Performance? The Influence Of Social Capital And Knowledge Codifiability On Such Relationship," Working Papers 14.01, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Business Organization and Marketing (former Department of Business Administration).
    18. Richard Florida & Ruben Gaetani, 2020. "The university's Janus face: The innovation–inequality nexus," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 1097-1112, September.
    19. Haider, Sajjad & Mariotti, Francesca, 2016. "The orchestration of alliance portfolios: The role of alliance portfolio capability," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 127-141.
    20. Ya-Feng CHANG, 2017. "A critical account of intra -and inter- organizational knowledge management: Diversity, relationship making, and paradoxes," Turkish Economic Review, KSP Journals, vol. 4(4), pages 429-436, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:13:y:2023:i:2:p:34-:d:1048959. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.