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Alternative growth patterns of university spin-offs: why so many remain small?

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  • Nora Hesse

    (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

  • Rolf Sternberg

    (Leibniz Universität Hannover)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide explanations for alternative growth patterns of university spin-offs using qualitative research methods. By matching the willingness of academic entrepreneurs to the ability of university spin-offs to grow, four basic types of university spin-offs are derived: ambitious, unwilling, saturated and impeded university spin-offs. By combining theoretical considerations from a specific concept of growth phases and empirical regularities from 68 university spin-offs we construct eight different subtypes of university spin-offs. The results show that the majority of university spin-offs either lacks entrepreneurial growth intentions or is impeded by reasons caused by personal characteristics of the academic entrepreneur, the university spin-off or the external environment. Some subtypes like life stylists, entrepreneurial academics and late bloomers face problems or share attitudes that are very specific in the context of university spin-offs. This paper contributes to the literature on university spin-off growth by providing an in-depth analysis of the underlying reasons for the founders’ willingness and ability to grow or not to grow. This study also reflects the heterogeneity of university spin-off growth and considers the evolutionary perspective. Growth is not only understood as a consequence of an economic process but also a personal and social process. In this way, this study augments the existing concepts of growth phases.

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  • Nora Hesse & Rolf Sternberg, 0. "Alternative growth patterns of university spin-offs: why so many remain small?," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v::y::i::d:10.1007_s11365-016-0431-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11365-016-0431-6
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    Cited by:

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    5. Fernández-López, Sara & Rodríguez-Gulías, María Jesús & Dios-Vicente, Adrián & Rodeiro-Pazos, David, 2020. "Individual and joint effect of patenting and exporting on the university spin-offs’ survival," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    6. Stefania Migliori & Daniel Pittino & Augusta Consorti & Lorenzo Lucianetti, 2019. "The relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation, Market Orientation and Performance in University Spin-Offs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 793-814, September.
    7. Igors Skute, 2019. "Opening the black box of academic entrepreneurship: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 120(1), pages 237-265, July.
    8. Lavinia Maria Mihali & Sabina Potra & Luisa Izabel Dungan & Romeo Negrea & Adrian Cioabla, 2022. "Key Factors of AS Performance in Emerging Central and Eastern European Countries: Evidence from Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-24, July.
    9. Marco Ferretti & Salvatore Ferri & Raffaele Fiorentino & Adele Parmentola & Alessandro Sapio, 2020. "What drives the growth of academic spin-offs? Matching academics, universities, and non-research organizations," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 137-163, March.
    10. Sara Fernández‐López & David Rodeiro‐Pazos & María Jesús Rodríguez‐Gulías & Manuel Anxo Nogueira‐Moreiras, 2022. "Sustainable university entrepreneurship: Revisiting firm growth patterns," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1334-1346, May.
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