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Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship and S3: Conceptualizing Strategies for Sustainability

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  • Ethan Gifford

    (Department of Economy and Society, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • Maureen McKelvey

    (Department of Economy and Society, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden)

Abstract

Smart specialization strategies represent public policy initiatives to develop regions based on new combinations of knowledge and industries. The aim of this article is to enrich the theory and practice of smart specialization strategies (S3) by integrating the conceptualization of knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship (KIE). We propose that knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship is necessary in order to specify how public and private support of KIE firms can be beneficial to develop new knowledge relevant to the fulfillment of specific sustainable development goals. We did so by further developing a conceptual model of innovation governance routines by integrating sustainability goals. We also illustrated our conceptual model through two case studies from the Swedish maritime cluster. By extrapolating from the combination of the conceptual model and two case studies, we make three propositions about the different strategic roles that KIE firms can play within a broader S3 policy setting, and in such a way as to promote sustainability-related outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ethan Gifford & Maureen McKelvey, 2019. "Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship and S3: Conceptualizing Strategies for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:18:p:4824-:d:263916
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Magdalena Kogut-Jaworska & Elżbieta Ociepa-Kicińska, 2020. "Smart Specialisation as a Strategy for Implementing the Regional Innovation Development Policy—Poland Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Ethan Gifford & Daniel Ljungberg & Maureen McKelvey, 2022. "Innovating in knowledge-intensive entrepreneurial firms: exploring the effects of a variety of internal and external knowledge sources on goods and service innovations [Advancing knowledge-intensiv," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(5), pages 1259-1284.
    3. Wilde, Kerstin & Hermans, Frans, 2021. "Innovation in the bioeconomy: Perspectives of entrepreneurs on relevant framework conditions," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 314.
    4. Nathalie Lazaric & Pasquale Tridico & Sebastiano Fadda, 2020. "Governing structural changes and sustainability through (new) institutions and organizations," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(5), pages 1267-1273, November.
    5. Astrid Heidemann Lassen & Daniel Ljungberg & Maureen McKelvey, 2020. "Promoting Future Sustainable Transition by Overcoming the Openness Paradox in KIE Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Jessica Birkholz & Jutta Günther & Mariia Shkolnykova, 2021. "Using Topic Modeling in Innovation Studies: The Case of a Small Innovation System under Conditions of Pandemic Related Change," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2101, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    7. Siaw, Christopher Agyapong & Sarpong, David, 2021. "Dynamic exchange capabilities for value co-creation in ecosystems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 493-506.
    8. Lars Speckemeier & Dimitrios Tsivrikos, 2022. "Green Entrepreneurship: Should Legislators Invest in the Formation of Sustainable Hubs?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-26, June.
    9. Paul Courtney & John Powell, 2020. "Evaluating Innovation in European Rural Development Programmes: Application of the Social Return on Investment (SROI) Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, March.
    10. Silvano Cincotti & Wolfram Elsner & Nathalie Lazaric & Anastasia Nesvetailova & Engelbert Stockhammer, 2020. "Towards an evolutionary political economy. Editorial to the inaugural issue of the Review of Evolutionary Political Economy REPE," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-12, May.
    11. Yevheniia Polishchuk & Alla Ivashchenko & Anna Kornyliuk, 2020. "Regional Smart Specialization: Microbusiness Impact," Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, Publishing house "Baltija Publishing", vol. 6(5).
    12. Shu Meng & Xin Gao & Lianfeng Duan, 2022. "Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic and Developing a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: The Theory and Practice of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Policies in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-20, July.
    13. José Pedro Carreón-Gutiérrez & José Manuel Saiz-Álvarez, 2019. "Product Newness, Low Competition, Recent Technology, and Export Orientation as Predictors for Entrepreneurial Growth Aspirations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-20, October.
    14. Alejandro Vega-Muñoz & Guido Salazar-Sepulveda & Juan Felipe Espinosa-Cristia & Jonathan Sanhueza-Vergara, 2021. "How to Measure Environmental Performance in Ports," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, April.

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