| Abstract: |
Incentives and assistance provided by TTOs, university policies, patent
legislation and scientific disciplines are certainly part of the explanations
for academic entrepreneurship. But they are only one facet of the story.
Another facet is related to the scientists' motives, expectations and
perceptions about the importance and necessity of such activities. There are
no comprehensive studies to date that cover both internal and external
factors. This is an important, complex and relatively under-researched theme.
Our findings suggest that scientists are rarely engage in patenting activities
for economic profit reasons or due to institutional and organizational
support. Individual relations and networks with firms and other actors found
to be important factors for scientists' entrepreneurial activities. Serial
inventors act as role models to other scientists and crucial in the creation
of an entrepreneurial milieu at the universities, as others would be affected
by these behaviours and tend to follow them. However, the fact that university
policies and TTOs have provided little incentives for scientists to get
involved in entrepreneurship should not be considered to rule out
institutional effects. |