Title: The incubation process for the creation of viable firms: the case of ARCA Consortium

Authors: Gandolfo Dominici; Gabriella Levanti

Addresses: Business Systems Laboratory, Via Circumvallazione 77 – 83100 Avellino, Italy; Department SEAS, University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze ed. 13 – 90128 Palermo, Italy ' Department SEAS, University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze ed. 13 – 90128 Palermo, Italy

Abstract: The aim of this study is to demonstrate that academic incubators play a key role in firm viability. This study develops a new analytic systemic framework that reveals the processes and factors that determine the effectiveness of the incubation process supported by university incubators. We analyse the effectiveness of the incubation process in the incubator of the ARCA Consortium by means of a single case study with an embedded design. In this study, adopting a systemic perspective, we shift the focus from the firm to the context, shedding light on the systemic actions that create the prerequisite conditions for the achievement of the firms' viability.

Keywords: academic incubators; university spin-offs; viable systems approach; VSA; ARCA Consortium; innovative start-ups; entrepreneurship; business incubators; firm viability; case study; embedded design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMABS.2015.070262

International Journal of Markets and Business Systems, 2015 Vol.1 No.1, pp.4 - 27

Received: 22 Sep 2014
Accepted: 05 Oct 2014
Published online: 01 Jul 2015 *

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