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Between Good Intentions and Enthusiastic Professors: The Missing Middle of University Social Innovation Structures in the Quadruple Helix

In: Regional Helix Ecosystems and Sustainable Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Benneworth

    (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
    University of Twente)

  • Jorge Cunha

    (University of Minho)

  • Ridvan Cinar

    (University of Aveiro)

Abstract

This chapter considers the role of universities in stimulating social innovation, and in particular the issue that despite possessing substantive knowledge that might be useful for stimulating social innovation, universities to date have not been widely engaged in social innovation activities in the context of Quadruple Helix developmental models. We explain this in terms of the institutional logics of engaged universities, in which entrepreneurial logics have emerged in recent decades, that frame the desirable forms of university-society engagement in terms of the economic benefits they bring. We ask whether institutional logics could explain this resistance of universities to social innovation. Drawing on two case studies of universities sincerely committed to supporting social innovation, we chart the effects of institutional logics on university-supported social innovation. We observe that there is a “missing middle” between enthusiastic managers and engaged professors, in which four factors serve to undermine social innovation activities becoming strategically important to HEIs. We conclude by noting that this missing middle also serves to segment the operation of Quadruple Helix relationships, thereby undermining university contributions to societal development more generally.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Benneworth & Jorge Cunha & Ridvan Cinar, 2020. "Between Good Intentions and Enthusiastic Professors: The Missing Middle of University Social Innovation Structures in the Quadruple Helix," Studies on Entrepreneurship, Structural Change and Industrial Dynamics, in: Luís Farinha & Domingos Santos & João J. Ferreira & Marina Ranga (ed.), Regional Helix Ecosystems and Sustainable Growth, pages 31-44, Springer.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:seschp:978-3-030-47697-7_3
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-47697-7_3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. K. M. Benzies & D. B. Nicholas & K. A. Hayden & T. Barnas & A. Koning & A. Bharwani & J. Armstrong & J. Day, 2024. "Defining social innovation for post-secondary educational institutions: a concept analysis," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Joanna Morawska-Jancelewicz, 2022. "The Role of Universities in Social Innovation Within Quadruple/Quintuple Helix Model: Practical Implications from Polish Experience," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(3), pages 2230-2271, September.
    3. Svennevik Elisabeth M. C. & Saidi Trust, 2022. "Social innovation-as-practice: establishing a social innovation program at a university," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 17(s1), pages 402-425, October.
    4. Butzin, Anna & Flögel, Franz, 2022. "High-tech left behind? Lessons from the Ruhr cybersecurity ecosystem for approaches to develop "left behind" places," IAT Discussion Papers 22/04, Institut Arbeit und Technik (IAT), Westfälische Hochschule, University of Applied Sciences.

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