Abstract
This study investigates survival and growth of NTBFs located on and off two Swedish science parks. We find that firms located on science parks have significantly higher survival rates than off-park firms. However, we observe insignificant differences in sales and employment. Wider variation in the growth rates of firms located on parks together with the better survival suggests that the science parks may be providing favorable locations for NTBFs in a range of development phases. The image benefit associated with a science park location is not helpful in explaining growth, whereas a location benefit associated with cooperation with universities is positively associated with growth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Almus, M. and E. Nerlinger, 1999, 'Growth of New Technology-Based Firms: Which Factors Matter?,' Small Business Economics 13, 141-154.
Audretsch, D.B., 1995, 'Innovation, Growth and Survival,' International Journal of Industrial Organization 13, 441-457.
Audretsch, D.B., L. Klomp, and A. Thurik, 2002, 'Gibrat's Law: Are the Services Different?,' Working paper, Rotterdam: Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Autio, E., 1994, 'New, Technology-Based Companies as Agents of R&D and Innovation,' Technovation 14(4), 259-273
Bengtsson, L. and M. Löwegren, 2001, 'Internationalisation in Science Parks—The Case of Finland and Sweden,'. Paper presented at the 2001 Swedish Network for European Studies in Economics and Business Conference in Mölle, Sweden, May 14–16.
Davidsson, P., 1989, Continued Entrepreneurship and Small Firm Growth, Dissertation, Stockholm: Stockholm School of Economics.
Davidsson, P., B. Kirchhoff, A. Hatemi-J, and H. Gustavsson, 2002, 'Empirical Analysis of Business Growth Factors using Swedish data,' Journal of Small Business Management 40(4), 332-349.
Davidsson, P., C. Olofsson, and L. Lindmark, 1996, Näringslivsdynamik under 90-talet (Business Dynamics in the 90s), Stockholm: NUTEK.
DiMaggio, P. and W. Powell, 1991, 'Introduction', in W. Powell, and P. DiMaggio (eds.), The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Drew, R., P. Dew, C. Leigh, D. Morris, and J. Curson, 1996, 'The Virtual Science Park,' British Telecommunications Engineering 15(4), 322:329.
Evans, D.S., 1987, 'The Relationship Between Firm Growth, Size, and Age: Estimates for 100 Manufacturing Industries,' Journal of Industrial Economics 35(4), 567-581.
Felsenstein, D., 1994, 'University-Related Science Parks—'seedbeds' or 'Enclaves' of Innovation?,' Technovation 14(2), 93-110.
Ferguson, R., 1999, What's in a Location? Science Parks and the Support of New Technology-Based Firms, Agraria 137 (dissertation), Uppsala: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Ferguson, R. and C. Olofsson, 1998, Science Parks and the Location of NTBFs—A Survey, working paper, Uppsala: CEF.
Geroski, P.A., 1995, 'What Do We Know About Entry?' International Journal of Industrial Organization 13, 421-440.
Grayson, L., 1993, Science Parks: An Experiment in High Technology Transfer, London: The British Library.
Klofsten, M., 1994, 'Technology-Based Firms: Critical Aspects of their Early Development,' Journal of Enterprising Culture 2(1), 535-557.
Klofsten, M., P. Lindell, C. Olofsson, and C. Wahlbin, 1988, 'Internal and External Resources in Technology-Based Spin-Offs: A Survey,' in B. Kirchhoff, W. Long, E. McMullan, K. Vesper, and W. Wetzel (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Wellesley: Babson College.
Lindholm Dahlstrand, Å., 1999, 'British and Swedish Science Parks and Incubators for Small Technology-Based Firms,' in During, W., R. Oakey, and S.-M. Mukhtar, (eds.), New Technology-Based Firms in the 1990s, Volume VI, Elsevier Science.
Lindström, G. and C. Olofsson, 2002, Affärsänglar och teknikbaserade tillväxtfoöretag (Business angels and technology-based growth firms), Stockholm: SNS förlag.
Little, A., 1977, New Technology-Based Firms in the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany, London: Wilton House.
Löfsten, H. and P. Lindelöf, 2001, 'Science Parks in Sweden—Industrial Renewal and Development?,' R&D Management 31(3), 309-322.
Löwegren, M., 2003, New Technology-Based Firms in Science Parks: A Study of Resources and Absorptive Capacity, Lund Studies in Economics and Management 76 (dissertation), Lund: Lund Business Press.
Monck, C., P. Quintas, P. Porter, D. Storey, and P. Wynarczyk, 1988, Science Parks and the Growth of High Technology Firms, London: Croom Helm.
Oakey, R., R. Rothwell, and S. Cooper, 1988, The Management of Innovation in High-Technology Small Firms: Innovation and Regional Development in Britain and the United States, London: Printer Pub.
Olofsson, C. and C. Wahlbin, 1993, 'Firms Started by University Researchers in Sweden—Roots, Roles, Relations, and Growth Patterns,' Paper presented at the 1993 Babson Entrepreneurship Research Conference, Houston, TX, March 25–27.
Quintas, P., D. Wield, and D. Massey, 1992, 'Academic-Industry Links and Innovation: Questioning the Science Park Model,' Technovation 12(3), 161-175.
Rickne, A., 2000, New Technology-Based Firms and Industrial Dynamics: Evidence from the Technological System of Biomaterials in Sweden, Ohio and Massachusetts (dissertation), Gothenberg: Department of Industrial Dynamics, Chalmers University of Technology
Singh, J., D. Tucker, and R. House, 1986, 'Organizational Legitimacy and the Liability of Newness,' Administrative Science Quarterly 3(1), 171-193.
Stinchcomb, A., 1965, 'Social Structure and Organizations,' in J. March (ed.), Handbook of Organizations, Chicago: Rand McNally.
Storey, D., 1994, Understanding the Small Business Sector, London: Internaitonal Thompson Business Press.
Storey, D. and B. Tether, 1998, 'New Technology-Based Firms in the European Union: An Introduction,' Research Policy 26, 933-946.
Westhead, P. and S. Batstone, 1999, 'Perceived Benefits of a Managed Science Park Location,' Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 11(2), 129-155.
Westhead, P. and S. Batstone, 1998, 'Independent Technology-Based Firms: The Perceived Benefits of a Science Park Location,' Urban Studies 35(12), 2197-2219.
Westhead, P. and D. Storey, 1994, An Assessment of Firms Located on and off Science Parks in the United Kingdom, London: HMSO.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ferguson, R., Olofsson, C. Science Parks and the Development of NTBFs— Location, Survival and Growth. The Journal of Technology Transfer 29, 5–17 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTT.0000011178.44095.cd
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTT.0000011178.44095.cd