An Institutional Approach to Science and Technology Parks : The Experience of Catalonian Entrepreneurial Universities

An entrepreneurial society allows for knowledge-based entrepreneurship to emerge as a driving force for economic growth, employment creation, and competitiveness in global markets. Subsequent to that, government, universities and industry have formerly been operated interwoven with a spiral pattern of linkages emerging at various stages of the innovation and industrial policy-making processes. Then, the entrepreneurial university plays an important role as natural incubator, knowledge producer, and disseminating organization. Adopting an institutional approach, this exploratory case study tries to provide a better understanding of the environmental factors associated with the success of science and technology parks at entrepreneurial universities in Catalonia. It also describes some practical implications that could stimulate the entrepreneurial activity of universities and, thus, foster their contribution to the development of the modern knowledge economy