TY - JOUR

T1 - Networks and networking activities of innovative firms at incubators

T2 - an exploratory study

AU - Soetanto, Danny

AU - Jack, Sarah

PY - 2011/5

Y1 - 2011/5

N2 - It has been widely argued that networks are critical for innovative firms. In the effort to support the growth of these firms, incubators seem to institutionalize support by having systems in place to encourage networking and help firms develop networks with other tenants and potential business allies. However, there is a lack of critical empirical investigation of the different types of networks developed by firms. This paper addresses this issue by systematically examining how firms in incubators develop their networks and what types of networks they might aim to build. The study is based on a survey with firms located at Daresbury Science and Innovation Centre in the UK. The results suggest that incubators often generalize their network support without considering that firms may develop different networks based on their needs. The results also demonstrate that the characteristics of firms do play a role in determining types of network. Science and engineering firms develop networks that differ from those of service and IT firms due to their need to access resources from other innovative firms in incubators, from the Science and Technology Facilities Council and from universities. Similarly, small firms are forced to establish internal and external networks in an attempt to compensate for their lack of resources. Overall, the findings suggest that academic theory on networks of firms in incubators needs to be more nuanced and that the networking support provided by incubators needs to be customized to the actual needs of the incubating firms.

AB - It has been widely argued that networks are critical for innovative firms. In the effort to support the growth of these firms, incubators seem to institutionalize support by having systems in place to encourage networking and help firms develop networks with other tenants and potential business allies. However, there is a lack of critical empirical investigation of the different types of networks developed by firms. This paper addresses this issue by systematically examining how firms in incubators develop their networks and what types of networks they might aim to build. The study is based on a survey with firms located at Daresbury Science and Innovation Centre in the UK. The results suggest that incubators often generalize their network support without considering that firms may develop different networks based on their needs. The results also demonstrate that the characteristics of firms do play a role in determining types of network. Science and engineering firms develop networks that differ from those of service and IT firms due to their need to access resources from other innovative firms in incubators, from the Science and Technology Facilities Council and from universities. Similarly, small firms are forced to establish internal and external networks in an attempt to compensate for their lack of resources. Overall, the findings suggest that academic theory on networks of firms in incubators needs to be more nuanced and that the networking support provided by incubators needs to be customized to the actual needs of the incubating firms.

KW - Incubators

KW - Entrepreneurship

KW - Networks

KW - Support

KW - Innovative firms

U2 - 10.5367/ijei.2011.0027

DO - 10.5367/ijei.2011.0027

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 127

EP - 136

JO - The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

JF - The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

SN - 1465-7503

IS - 2

ER -