The Challenges of Smart Specialization Strategies and the Role of Entrepreneurial Universities

This chapter explores the relation between the concepts of entrepreneurial universities (EU) within the framework of Smart Specialization Strategies (S3). The latter is arising as a new competitive paradigm and universities can be of great importance for its successful implementation because of their contribution both as a partner institution, policy actor and producer of knowledge and social capital that can affect the potential for economic growth and development of regions. The links and contributions of both dimensions are presented and explored. As a final point, the concept of entrepreneurial ecosystem is presented as a consequence and future development of the dynamics resulting S3 and entrepreneurial universities interactions.

Internationalisation Strategies of Latvia Entrepreneurs

By exploring the entrepreneurial patterns of ‘born globals', this chapter aims to explore the international market entry modes as well as develop recommendations for an international expansion strategy for companies attempting to enter global markets. Empirically chapter draws on the four case studies of born globals that originates from Latvia. The companies are: Stenders- manufacturer of natural bath and cosmetics; Munio Candela- handcrafted candle manufacturer; Primekss - industrial flooring manufacturer; and manufacturer of premium jeans wear Trousers London. We explore the international pathways of these companies focusing on general characteristics of these firms, target market and foreign entry modes selection. Finding of this study might be relevant both to companies that are on their way to develop strategy for international expansion as well as policy makers in order to make informed decision on investments to support international orientation of local SMEs.

Innovation in Public Health Care Institutions

The increasing importance of environmental sustainability for all society and for healthcare systems in particular is unquestionable. Thus, in recent years, hospitals and health centres began to arm themselves with techniques and equipment to reduce environmental impact, because it was found that these institutions contributed greatly to environmental deterioration. This chapter seeks to present the creation and implementation of an environmental sustainability programme in a hospital focused on saving energy and water resources, demonstrating that there are economic and competitive opportunities behind the environmental improvements. This would allow the hospital to become more competitive and to become the first green hospital in Portugal. The focus of the chapter is the study of attitudes and behaviours of staff regarding to the environmental sustainability campaign followed by the hospital.

Knowledge Transfer between Universities and Knowledge Intensive Business Services

In this chapter, the authors study the importance of regional entrepreneurship as well as the characteristics of location, and show that the basis for creation of new firms is knowledge, thus giving emphasis to broadcasters (spillovers) of knowledge coming from universities and other R&D institutions. Thus, the knowledge generated arises from the collaboration between companies and public research institutions (Audretsch & Lehmann, 2005). Here, the authors specifically address the KIBS to the extent that they are creators, users, and transmitters of intensive knowledge. This shows the importance of the study of cooperation between universities and firms, especially KIBS. In this sense, the empirical results demonstrate that cooperation between KIBS and universities occurs independent of their location (rural or urban) and typology (professional or technological). The authors furthermore find that rural KIBS have increased their levels of graduate employment faster than their urban KIBS peers.

Harnessing Externalities to Enhance Competitiveness in an Industrial Cluster

This chapter investigates the effects networks have on the acquisition of external economies. The objectives of this chapter include determining if businesses located in clusters are benefitting from external economies and identifying the extent to which these firms are using their networks in accessing these external economies. Six SME business owners were interviewed. They form part of an automotive manufacturing network based in Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The researchers used content analysis and pattern matching to analyse the data. The findings indicate that the entrepreneurs interviewed were all using their networks to gain external economies. They used networks to gain technology spillovers in the form of information on new trends and processes in the industry and highlighted the fact that the network contacts provided opportunistic information. The study also found that some of the entrepreneurs used their network to source skilled employees from the pooled labour market and obtain specialized services and input.

Who Controls Whom?

This chapter looks into the importance of having a clear identity of a boundary spanner in determining the role of the partners in a university-industry knowledge transfer programme. It highlights issues around the relationship between the business and the graduate as the boundary spanner, where the university's level of control differs between two programmes: Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) and Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Network (KEEN) programme. The four case studies illustrate interesting points since the university is the employer for the KTPs associate and the business is the employer for the KEEN associate, whilst successful KTP and KEEN projects rely on a full understanding of the role of the graduate within the business.

Understanding Actual Socio-Economic Behavior as a Source of Competitive Advantage

This chapter illustrates the potentiality of the application of experimental-behavioral methods to gain global competitive advantages based in the anticipated measurement of how consumers and citizens would behave when exposed to specific innovation actions to be implemented by an organization. To this end, the chapter presents a brief background of the experimental-behavioral economics approach as an application of the experimental-scientific paradigm to study socio-economic behavior, highlighting its main differential features (use of economic monetary incentives, non-deception, and anonymity). After a discussion of the internal and external validity of this methodology and its ethical implications, the chapter presents specific examples of its application in both industry (framing management and measurement of the added value generated by alternative designs of an innovative product) and government (optimal design of new public programs and policies).

Beyond the Obvious

There is a general tendency amongst policy and certain academic circles to assume that universities are simple strategic actors capable and willing to respond to a well-articulated set of regional demands. In reality, however, universities are extremely complex organizations that operate in highly institutionalized environments and are susceptible to regulative shifts, resource dependencies, and fluctuations in student numbers. Understanding universities' contributions—and capacities to contribute—to regional development and innovation requires understanding these internal dynamics and how they interact with external environmental agents. Based on a comparative study across various national settings and regional contexts, the chapter highlights the types of tensions and volitions that universities face while attempting to fulfil their “third mission.” Building upon the existing literature and novel empirical insights, the chapter advances a new conceptual model for opening the “black box” of the university-region interface and disentangling the impacts of purposive, political efforts to change universities' internal fabrics and to institutionalize the regional mission.

Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation

In the last two decades, a renewed interest on the concepts of social innovation and social entrepreneurship has emerged. In fact, a large body of theoretical developments that occurred in the fields of innovation, territorial development, social economics, and public governance (among others) have emphasised the need to adopt new approaches to new (or emerging) problems, such as: climate change; chronic diseases; increasing inequalities in income distribution; high rates of unemployment (particularly among young people); the impact of ageing population; and mass urbanisation and social exclusion phenomenon. This chapter aims at contributing to this literature by making an attempt to distinguish both concepts: social innovation and social entrepreneurship. For that purpose, the definition of each of these concepts, their main features as well as their major differences are presented. Finally, the role that HEIs might play in promoting social innovation and social entrepreneurship initiatives is also discussed.

Enhancing the Formation and Implementation of Sustainability Strategies Using the Balanced Scorecard

Given the strategic challenges of the 21st century, it becomes fundamental to determine strategic alternatives for sustainability. This chapter aims to contribute to the successful formation and implementation of corporate strategies for sustainability and business excellence, through the development and application of an extended Balanced Scorecard (BSC), which includes the social and environmental perspectives. We outline the structure for a Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC) as well as the steps required for its development. Elements for each of the different sustainability strategies of the SBSC are proposed and, finally, a case study of the formation and introduction of a “credible” sustainability strategy in the chemical industry is presented. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the SBSC in pursuing sustainability strategies, and provide evidence that the introduction of such a system is likely to lead to fundamental changes in the way a company is managed. Practical implications and managerial guidelines are also presented.