Mechanisms for facilitating academic entrepreneurship in higher education

Gaspar Pacheco, Ana Isabel (author), Ferreira, João (author), Simoes, Jorge (author), Mota Veiga, Pedro (author), Dabić, Marina (author)

Purpose - The commercialization of research produced by universities constitutes a core facet of academic entrepreneurship (AE). Academic literature reveals the need to shed light on entrepreneurial processes in higher education institutions (HEIs). This study intends to fill this gap by researching the mechanisms for facilitating AE and the variables that can moderate the relationship between such mechanisms and AE in Portuguese HEIs. Design/methodology/approach - Our research model aims to assess the mechanisms of academic entrepreneurship (AE) within a sample of 125 Portuguese public higher education institutions (HEIs). To test our research hypotheses, we employed a structural equation model (SEM) using the partial least squares (PLS) method. Additionally, our evaluation examines the potential moderating effects of incubator programs, support initiatives, and proof-of-concept programs (PoCs). Our research model seeks to evaluate the mechanisms for facilitating AE and explore the effects of including incubator programs, support initiatives, and PoCs as moderators. The seven variables (Research mobilization, Unconventionality, Industry collaboration, University policies, Incubator programs and support initiatives, Proof-of-concept programs, and academic entrepreneurship) were measured using a 7-point Likert scale. Findings - The results revealed that different drivers of AE influence the creation and development of entrepreneurial activities. Our findings also show the moderating effects of incubator programs, support initiatives, and proof-of-concept programs on AE. We find that incubator programs, other support initiatives, and PoCs maintain a moderating effect on AE and benefit their respective HEIs. Research limitations/implications - The study examines only the Portuguese HEI context. Therefore, generalizing these results necessitates reservations. However, the responses came from various actors in HEIs, from different academic backgrounds and research interests. This makes the results more generalizable. Limitations are evident in external validity, given that we gathered the data over a relatively short period. Practical implications - Observed factors are explored to gain a deeper understanding of their influence on the mechanisms of AE. The implications arise from the new perspective presented and the methodology used to identify mechanisms capable of fostering AE. We hope this research will encourage other researchers to study this topic further. Social implications - the engagement of universities at the global level should be emphasised in future policy. While universities in innovation systems often have a local focus, their engagement in innovation ecosystems transcends the boundaries of geographic locations. Originality/value - PoCs had a significant positive moderating effect on the impact of research mobilization and university policies on AE. Thus, we find interactions between universities and industry boost AE. This study demonstrates how AE benefits HEIs by extending orientation towards mobilizing research, unconventional approaches, cooperation with industry, and university policy implementation. We thus advocate a new approach, demonstrating the influence that the mobility of research, unconventionality, industry collaboration, and university policies hold over AE.

• Language: English
• Keywords: entrepreneurship, business schools, knowledge transfer, universities, higher education institutions, academic entrepreneurship, moderating factors
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 1448-1479
• Numbering: Vol. 30, iss. 6
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-169882
• UDC: 378.4
• ISSN on article: 1355-2554
• DOI: 10.1108/IJEBR-04-2023-0333
• COBISS.SI-ID: 192319747
• Publication date in RUL: 13.06.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of entrepreneurial behaviour & research
• Shortened title: Int. j. entrep. behav. res.
• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
• ISSN: 1355-2554
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2370332

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: podjetništvo, poslovne šole, prenos znanja

Projects

• Funder: FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P.
• Project number: 2020.04630.BD
• Name: Microbiota derived metabolites from dietary phenolics and their potential to mitigate neuroinflammation
• Acronym: 2020.04630.BD

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0441
• Name: Regeneracija ekonomije in posla