Title: A comparative study of business incubators and technoparks in the EU

Authors: Irene Daskalopoulou, Daskalopoulou Liargovas, Anastasia Petrou

Addresses: Department of Economics, School of Economics and Management, University of Peloponnese, Terma Karaiskaki Street, Tripolis 22 100, Greece. ' Department of Economics, School of Economics and Management, University of Peloponnese, Terma Karaiskaki Street, Tripolis 22 100, Greece. ' Department of Economics, School of Economics and Management, University of Peloponnese, Terma Karaiskaki Street, Tripolis 22 100, Greece

Abstract: The present study undertakes a comparative analysis of the development of business incubators and technoparks in the EU member countries. We estimate three intensity indicators for business incubators and technoparks activity and use both a uniform and a weighted rank order of the EU member countries to illustrate regional differences in the intensity of incubation activity within the EU. Exploratory analysis reveals that a country|s development level differentiates its ability to benefit from additive effects generated by the presence and operation of business incubators.

Keywords: technology transfer; business incubators; technoparks; EU; European Union; innovation; regional development; ranking; regional differences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIRD.2010.033505

International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, 2010 Vol.2 No.3, pp.198 - 220

Published online: 02 Jun 2010 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article