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How to evaluate the impact of academic spin-offs on local development: an empirical analysis of the Italian case

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  • Donato Iacobucci
  • Alessandra Micozzi

Abstract

The paper proposes a framework to evaluate the impact of academic spin-offs at the local level. Spin-off creation is the most complex way of commercializing academic research, compared to patenting and R&D collaborations, but has the highest potential impact on the local context. We develop a framework that takes into account the direct and indirect impacts of spin-offs. In the empirical part of the paper we apply this framework to Italian spin-offs set up between 2000 and 2012, and to a sample of Università Politecnica delle Marche spin-offs. The empirical analysis shows that, measured in quantitative terms, the impact of spin-offs on the local economy is quite small. However, this depends on the characteristics of the local economy, and there are some indirect effects that should be considered in both the short and longer terms. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Donato Iacobucci & Alessandra Micozzi, 2015. "How to evaluate the impact of academic spin-offs on local development: an empirical analysis of the Italian case," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 434-452, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:40:y:2015:i:3:p:434-452
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-014-9357-8
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Academic spin-offs; Economic impact; Local development; Italy; R12; M13; 033;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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