Title: Benchmarking NTBFs' support actors: an exploratory framework

Authors: Truls Erikson

Addresses: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Alfred Getzv. 1, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway

Abstract: This study benchmarks the support actors among start-ups in Norway. Most of these start-ups are commercial spin-offs from two competing research institutions. This study adopts the founder manager|s point of view with regard to support actors and the emergence of their NTBFs. Three main stages are benchmarked: idea conceptualisation, business incubation, and growth. The foci are on the interaction between the parties with a resource-based view. Implications are that policy should be geared toward a set of incentives, as these processes are extremely complex. In particular, policy programmes that increase the commercialisation culture in research institutions would likely engender an improved environment for pre-inception activities. Moreover, strengthening incentive systems in existing programmes pertaining to commercialisation, seed capital, and ||private-public|| seed capital, could likely increase the transformation of such activities into firm incubation. Similarly, growth-stimulating programmes should seek to assist the interaction between founder managers and private investors and/or potential customers.

Keywords: NTBFs; seed capital; spin-offs; support actors; startups; Norway; commercialisation culture; research institutions; incentive systems; benchmarking; new technology-based firms; SMEs; small firms; small-to-medium sized enterprises.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2004.005612

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2004 Vol.3 No.4, pp.424 - 432

Published online: 30 Oct 2004 *

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