The 'privileged witness': advising scientists to start research-based spin-offs Online publication date: Thu, 27-Oct-2016
by Tero Montonen; Päivi Eriksson; Anssi Lehikoinen
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management (IJEIM), Vol. 20, No. 5/6, 2016
Abstract: The paper explores how a 'privileged witness' (Wright et al., 2007), that is, a business advisor hired by a university, assists scientists in commercialising their research through research-based spin-offs (RBSOs). Prior research on the key actors of RBSOs has focused on what kind of scientists engage in this activity, what motivates them, and how they learn over time. Less research has been done on the micro-level interaction between scientists and those who assist them in spin-off creation. Our study fills this gap in the literature by studying real-life interaction between scientists and a business advisor hired by a university. The primary data for the study consists of tape-recorded discussions. The micro-ethnographic study shows how the business advisor communicates his preferred meanings concerning the RBSO to the scientists, who try to make sense of what an RBSO means and requires from them.
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