Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exploring the Networking Characteristics of New Venture Founding Teams: A Stdy of Italian Academic Spin-off

  • Published:
Small Business Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper deals with newly established ventures and their relations with external agents. The founding teams' intention to set up relations with external agents and their frequency of interaction with external agents are addressed as two features that are likely to lead to the success of academic spin-off companies. Empirical analysis is based on a data set of 40 Italian academic spin-offs. The external agents who are most likely to have interactions with academic spin-off companies are first identified. Two research hypotheses are then put forward: (a) that the intention of the founding teams to set up relations with external agents is influenced by the degree of articulation of roles and the completeness of the founding teams; (b) that the founding teams' frequency of interaction with external agents is influenced by the frequency of interaction with external agents of the research groups of origin and by their scientific and technological excellence. Some remarks are then made on the role that universities play in helping new ventures to set up relations with external agents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aldrich, H. and C. Zimmer, 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Entrepreneurship through Social Networks’, in D. Sexton and R. Smilor (eds.), The Art and Science of Entrepreneurship, New York: Ballinger, pp. 3-23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldrich, H., B. Rosen and W. Woodward, 1987, &;amp;#x2018;The Impact of Social Networks on Business Foundings and Profit: A Longitudinal Study’, in N. C. Churchill, J. A. Hornaday, B. A. Kirchoff, O. J. Krasner and K. H. Vesper (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Wellesley, MA: Babson College, pp. 154-168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, T. (ed.), 1977, Managing the Flow of Technology, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bagozzi, R. (eds.), 1994, Principles of Marketing Research, Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birley, S., 1985, &;amp;#x2018;The Role of Networks in the Entrepreneurial Process’, Journal of Business Venturing 1(1), 107-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brush, C. G., 1992, &;amp;#x2018;Marketplace Information Scanning Activities of New Manufacturing Ventures’, Journal of Small Business Management 30(4), 41-53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carayannis, E. G., E. M. Rogers, K. Kurihara, and M. M. Allbritton, 1998, &;#x2018;High Technology Spin-offs from Government RD Laboratories and Research Institutes’, Technovation 18(1), 1-10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandler, G. N. and E. J. Jansen, 1992, &;amp;#x2018;Founders&;amp;#x2019; Self-Assessed Competence and Venture Performance', Journal of Business Venturing 7(3), 223-236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiesa, V. and A. Piccaluga, 2000, &;amp;#x2018;Exploitation and Diffusion of Public Research: the Case of Academic Spin-off Companies in Italy’, R&;amp;amp;D Management 30(4), 329-340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiesa, V. and A. Piccaluga, 1998, &;amp;#x2018;Transforming Rather than Transferring Scientific and Technological Knowledge-the Contribution of Academic Spin-out Companies: the Italian Way’, in R. Oakey, and W. During (eds.), New Technology Based Firms in the 1990s, London, U.K.: Paul Chapman Publishing, pp. 15-31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duchesneau, D. A. and W. B. Gartner, 1990, &;amp;#x2018;A Profile of New Successes and Failures in an Emerging Industry’, Journal of Business Venturing 5, 297-312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, D. J. and M. Klofsten, 1998, &;amp;#x2018;Academic Entrepreneurship in Europe: a Survey’, 44th ICSB World Conference, Innovation and Economic Development, Naples, June, 20-23.

  • Fishbein, M. and M. Stasson, 1990, &;amp;#x2018;The Role of Desires, Self-Predictions, and Perceived Control in the Prediction of Training Session Attendance’, Journal of Applied Social Psychology 20(3), 173-198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Franklin, S. J., M. Wright, and A. Lockett, 2001, &;amp;#x2018;Academic and Surrogate Entrepreneurs in University Spin-out Companies’, Journal of Technology Transfer 26, 127-141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galbraith, J. R., 1982, &;amp;#x2018;Designing the Innovating Organisation’, Organisational Dynamics 10(3), 5-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimaldi, R. and A. Grandi, 2001, &;amp;#x2018;The Role of University Incubators in Supporting New Venture Creation: Exploring a Pioneering Experience in Italy’, Industry and Higher Education 15(4), 239-250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, E. L., 1995, &;amp;#x2018;Entrepreneurial Network and New Organisation Growth’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 19(4), 7-18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarillo, J. C., 1989, &;amp;#x2018;Entrepreneurship and Growth: the Strategic Use of External Resources’, Journal of Business Venturing 4, 133-147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johannisson, B., 1986, &;amp;#x2018;New Venture Creation: A Network Approach’, in R. Ronstadt (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Wellesley, MA: Babson College, pp. 236-238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamm, J. B. and A. J. Nurick, 1993, &;amp;#x2018;The Stages of Team Venture Formation: a Decision Making Model’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 17(2), 17-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, R. and M. Thusman, 1981, &;amp;#x2018;An Investigation into the Managerial Roles and Career Paths of Gatekeepers and Project Supervisors in a Major R&;amp;amp;D Facility’, R&;amp;D Management 3, 103-110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson, A. and J. A. Starr, 1993, &;amp;#x2018;A Network Model of Organisation Formation’, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 17(2), 5-17.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacMillan, I. C., R. Siegal, and P. N. Subbarashima, 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Criteria Used by Venture Capitalists to Evaluate New Venture Performance’, Journal of Business Venturing 1, 119-128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meseri, O. and S. Maital, 2001, &;amp;#x2018;A Survey Analysis of University Technology Transfer in Israel: Evaluation of Projects and Determinants of Success’, Journal of Technology Transfer 26, 115-126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nohria, N., 1992, &;amp;#x2018;Information and Search in the Creation of New Business Ventures: the Case of the 128 Venture Group’, in N. Nitin and R. Eccles (eds.), Networks and Organisations: Structure, Form and Action, Boston: Harvard Business School Press, pp. 240-261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radosevich, R., 1995, &;amp;#x2018;A Model for Entrepreneurial Spin-offs from Public Technology Sources’, International Journal of Technology Management 10 (7/8), 879-893.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rea, R. H., 1989, &;amp;#x2018;Factors Affecting Success and Failure of Seed Capital/Start-up Negotiations’, Journal of Business Venturing 4, 149-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, E. B. (eds.), 1991a,Entrepreneurs in High Technology, Oxford University Press.

  • Roberts, E. B, 1991b, &;amp;#x2018;The Technological Base of the New Enterprise’, Research Policy 20(4), 283-898.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, E. B. and A. R. Fusfeld, 1981, &;amp;#x2018;Staffing the Innovative Technology Based Organisation’, Sloan Management Review 22(3), 19-34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers E. M., 1986, &;amp;#x2018;The Role of the Research University in the Spin-off of High Technology Companies’, Technovation 4, 169-181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothwell, R., 1992, &;amp;#x2018;Successful Industrial Innovation: Critical Factors for the 1990s’, R&;amp;D Management 22(3), 221-239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roure, J. B. and R. H. Keeley, 1990, &;amp;#x2018;Predictors of Success in New Technology Based Firms’, Journal of Business Venturing 5, 201-220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roure, J. B. and M. A. Maidique, 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Linking Pre-founding Factors and High Technology Venture Success’, Journal of Business Venturing 1, 295-306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Segal, N. S., 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Universities and Technological Entrepreneurship in Britain: Some Implications of the Cambridge Phenomenon’, Technovation 4, 189-204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smilor, R. W., D. V. Gibson and G. B. Dietrich, 1990, &;amp;#x2018;University Spin-out Companies: Technology Start-ups from UT-Austin’, Journal of Business Venturing 5, 63-76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spector, P.E., 1992, Summated Rating Scale Construction, New York, NY: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stankiewicz, R., 1995, &;amp;#x2018;University Firms, Spin-off Companies from Universities’, Science and Public Policy 21(2), 99-107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steffensen, M., E. M. Rogers and K. Speakman, 1999, &;amp;#x2018;Spinoffs from Research Centres at a Research University’, Journal of Business Venturing 15, 93-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Starr, J. and I. Macmillan, 1990, &;amp;#x2018;Resource Co-optation via Social Contracting: Resource Acquisition Strategies for New Ventures’, Strategic Management Journal 2, 79-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steel, R. P. and N. K. Ovalle II, 1984, &;amp;#x2018;A Review and Meta-Analysis of Research on the Relationship between Behavioural Intentions and Employees Turnover’, Journal of Applied Psychology 69(4) (November), 673-686.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, R. and P. A. Abetti, 1987, &;amp;#x2018;Start-up Ventures: towards the Prediction of Initial Success’, Journal of Business Venturing 2, 215-230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teece, D. J., 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Profiting from Technological Innovation: Implication for Integration, Collaboration, Licensing and Public Policy’, Research Policy 15, 285-305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tidd, J., J. Bessant and K. Pavitt (eds.), 1997, Managing Innovation: Integrating Technological Market and Organisational Change, London, England: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van de Ven, A., 1986, &;amp;#x2018;Central Problems in the Management of Innovation’, Management Science 32, 590-607.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van de Ven, A. H., R. Hudson and D. M. Schroeder, 1984, &;amp;#x2018;Designing New Business Start-ups: Entrepreneurial, Organisational, and Ecological Considerations’, Journal of Management 10, 87-107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, W. E., L. D. Ponthieu and J. W. Critelli, 1995, &;amp;#x2018;Team Interpersonal Process Effectiveness in Venture Partnerships and its Connections to Perceived Success’, Journal of Business Venturing 10(5), 393-412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zucker, L. G., R. M. Darby and M. B. Brewer, 1998, &;amp;#x2018;Intellectual Human Capital and the Birth of U.S. Biotechnology Enterprises’, The American Economic Review 88(1), 290-306.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management, University of Bologna, Via Saragozza 8, 40123, Bologna, Italy E-mail

    Alessandro Grandi

Authors
  1. Alessandro Grandi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rosa Grimaldi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grandi, A., Grimaldi, R. Exploring the Networking Characteristics of New Venture Founding Teams: A Stdy of Italian Academic Spin-off. Small Business Economics 21, 329–341 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026171206062

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026171206062

Keywords

Search

Navigation