This study considers the linkage between micro-sized enterprises and other organizations, especially universities, in relation to the innovation process. The focus of the research is on non-start-up enterprises in Wales and how they develop their products. The research methodology adopted is a thematic literature review and the case study…

This paper reports on a funded collaborative large-scale curriculum innovation and enhancement project undertaken as part of a UK National Higher Education Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme. Its aim was to develop undergraduate curricula to teach appropriate skills for professional engineering practice more…

The benchmarking framework developed in this study is specifically designed for higher education institutions to consider when developing environments to encourage entrepreneurship among their students, graduates and staff. The objective of the study was to identify key success factors of Graduate Entrepreneurship Incubator Environments (GEIEs)…

The role of universities is changing. In the last century the primary focus of universities was on education and research, with the key goals of creating and diffusing information and knowledge. A third and equally important role is now emerging, with its accompanying expectations and responsibilities -- that of value creation. "Value"…

In a rapidly changing world of knowledge exchange, innovation and technological advancements, entrepreneurship continues to fuel economic growth in both developed and developing countries. In the developed world, an increased influx of graduate entrepreneurs sustains economic growth whilst, in contrast, developing countries continue to suffer from…

Entrepreneurial activity at universities, especially spin-off formation, has emerged as an important mechanism for accelerating the transfer of technology and knowledge to commercial markets. With some exceptions, such as China, studies on university entrepreneurship have tended to concentrate on the experiences of developed countries. Perhaps…

In the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011--2015), the Chinese Committee of Science, Technology and Education, the main body for the central government's innovation policy, highlights the strengthening of the scientific--technological base and the upgrading of domestic innovative competences, and places the industrial focus on seven new strategic…

The Brazilian government has been fostering innovation through policies aimed at transferring technology from publicly funded science and technology organizations to the market. One response to this initiative has been an attempt by some universities to transform themselves into entrepreneurial institutions. In this paper the authors use a…

This paper describes a longitudinal study of over 10 years of university pre-incubation in Wales, using case studies of incubated businesses to track their performance since 2001. Surviving "graduated" businesses were investigated and quantitative and qualitative data were gathered to profile the current status of these businesses and…

In this paper the concept of knowledge circulation is explored and placed in a social systems approach that distinguishes four types of "capital": cultural, strategic, network and economic. Knowledge circulation is a form of university-industry interaction that accommodates the objectives of what are, in many respects, unequal partners and…

When the current UK coalition government came to power in 2010, it sought amongst other things to stimulate a dormant economy and deal with the national budget deficit. One of its first acts was to charge universities to become the bedrock for entrepreneurial activity, and to deliver challenging enterprise education to all their students, so…

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa are facing challenges arising as a result of the shift from traditional teaching activities to a combination of research and teaching. Increasing emphasis on research, an integral part of this transformation of higher education, has required HEIs to develop and implement capacity development…

The UK's university sector is seeking to improve its participation in the knowledge economy and meet policy and financial imperatives. This paper reveals some of the opportunities and pitfalls in making that objective a reality in the context of a single university. The findings and organizational development resulting from an action research…

Business Inspiration was a short, action-centred leadership and innovation development programme designed for owners and managers of smaller firms to address business survival and repositioning needs arising from the UK's economic downturn. The article examines the design and delivery of Business Inspiration and the impact of the programme on…

This empirical study investigates the hypothesized relationship between US federally funded university research and development (R&D) and its resulting economic impact, as measured by the level of licensing revenue generated by US universities. The author also examines the key operating statistics of the top-ten licensing income-producing…