Entrepreneurial discovery processes in the three regions .... 4.5 Effectual and causal entreprene... more Entrepreneurial discovery processes in the three regions .... 4.5 Effectual and causal entrepreneurial discovery repertoires. 4.6 Reasoning approaches in entrepreneurial discovery processes ..
Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have ... more Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have been defined as important actors in today's knowledge economy since the 1990s, contributing to economic growth and development through knowledge production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders (Benneworth, Charles, & Madanipour, 2010; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). Nevertheless, universities' success is at least partly a function of their incredible organisational complexity (Lewis, Marginson, & Snyder, 2005) and there has been little consideration in conceptualising universities as regional organisations of how their complexity affects their regional engagement. In failing to consider this complexity, scholars and policy makers implicitly assume that it is enough for universities to adopt a strategic regional engagement position, whilst in reality universities face various difficulties when asked to coordinate action around their knowledge production and circulation. It is this organisational complexity, and its implications for universities' regional contributions, that this volume seeks to address. Universities are knowledge-producing organisations with very decentralised organisational structures, Weick (1976) describing them as being "loosely coupled". In this volume, it is not just institutions that have the formal title of university, but all kinds of higher education institution (HEI) that blend teaching and research, thereby also encompassing universities of applied science, university colleges, specialist higher colleges (e.g. for teachers, musicians or artists) 1. Accordingly, different academic disciplines and areas (Becher and Trowler (2001)'s "academic tribes") have very different
The chapter contributes to the literature and discussions on the regional engagement of universit... more The chapter contributes to the literature and discussions on the regional engagement of universities, providing empirical evidence on academic engagement and how these academics can be motivated and encouraged by regional policy. The chapter specifically asks the question how do entrepreneurial universities create (or do not) frameworks which enable purposive actions by academic actors acting as institutional entrepreneurs to participate in regional development outcomes. The chapter draws upon case studies of three universities all recently actively promoting regional entrepreneurship activities in various ways at the institutional level. This chapter identifies the key tensions and dynamics of the entrepreneurial university's behaviour to propose a first reflection on how regional policy can be both supportive and steering for institutional entrepreneurs. The chapter concludes that because the connections between institutional entrepreneurs and regional partners are vital to collaboration undertakenregional policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particu... more The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particular, the ways in which academics are motivated and encouraged by regional development policies. The chapter specifically asks whether entrepreneurial universities create frameworks which allow university actors to positively contribute to collective development activities (such as clusters or technology transfer networks) by building new kinds of regional institutions. The chapter uses examples from three universities that all seek to be actively regionally engaged. This chapter identifies the factors that both encourage but also discourage these individual actors and notes that ongoing connections between individual academics and regional partners are critical to ensuring this constructive collaboration. The chapter contends that regional innovation policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increa... more The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increased expectations for universities to engage in strategy making and assume broader roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, complexities inherent to the policy process, regional context and universities’ own institutional and organisational capacity are often ignored or under-explained when framing universities’ roles. Although these roles are frequently introduced, they have been superficially conceptualised in the literature. This study develops a deeper theoretical and empirical understanding of universities’ contributions in the different stages of regional innovation strategy processes. Through a comparative case study of four European universities, it explores the variation of these roles by policy stage and university actors involved in the strategies. Findings suggest universities have expanded to perform new planning-related roles (e.g. consultation, mediation) and that diverse factors (e.g. the regional context, such as urban versus peripheral) determine their participation in regional strategies. However, strategic coordination within universities and with regional bodies is needed for the optimisation of their engagement in the regional governance process.JEL Codes: I23, I25, O20, O30, R58
Active coalitions of regional stakeholders are at the heart of contemporary regional economic dev... more Active coalitions of regional stakeholders are at the heart of contemporary regional economic development policies, such as Smart Specialisation or Constructing Regional Advantage. These coalitions consist of actors from various organizations such as regional authorities, companies and higher education institutions that come together to achieve common agendas and advance their region. Accordingly, the numerous stakeholders are expected to work together seamlessly, build and implement strategies and thereby deliver regional development. However, by assuming that strategy formulation and implementation is straightforward, the challenges that lie within partnerships and the tensions that may arise between stakeholders can become neglected. Therefore, it is vital to understand tensions that drive towards situations in which strategy-building is not successful and 'black holes' of strategy-building emerge. By identifying the tensions between regional partners in the Twente region of the Netherlands, the aim is to understand how such stakeholder tensions affect regional development. It is assumed that by easing or resolving these tensions, stakeholder partnerships can contribute to the successful advancement of their region. The data for this qualitative case study are drawn from both research interviews and secondary sources.
The final chapter presents the practical implications arising from consequences of tensions emerg... more The final chapter presents the practical implications arising from consequences of tensions emerging when universities engage with actors in peripheral regions. Recommendations to education/science ministries require ensuring that national policy frameworks do not lead universities to downgrade regional missions, whilst regional policy-makers should pay attention to key university actors who may not be their strategic leaders. The volume concludes by arguing that policy-makers and practitioners should seek to better understand the tensions inherent in collaboration as an antecedent to developing better, more implementable, and ultimately more successful strategies for knowledge-based regional development in economically peripheral regions.
The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increa... more The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increased expectations for universities to engage in strategy making and assume broader roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, complexities inherent to the policy process, regional context and universities’ own institutional and organisational capacity are often ignored or under-explained when framing universities’ roles. Although these roles are frequently introduced, they have been superficially conceptualised in the literature. This study develops a deeper theoretical and empirical understanding of universities’ contributions in the different stages of regional innovation strategy processes. Through a comparative case study of four European universities, it explores the variation of these roles by policy stage and university actors involved in the strategies. Findings suggest universities have expanded to perform new planning-related roles (e.g. consultation, mediation) and that diverse f...
Universities and Regional Economic Development, 2018
Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have ... more Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have been defined as important actors in today's knowledge economy since the 1990s, contributing to economic growth and development through knowledge production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders (Benneworth, Charles, & Madanipour, 2010; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). Nevertheless, universities' success is at least partly a function of their incredible organisational complexity (Lewis, Marginson, & Snyder, 2005) and there has been little consideration in conceptualising universities as regional organisations of how their complexity affects their regional engagement. In failing to consider this complexity, scholars and policy makers implicitly assume that it is enough for universities to adopt a strategic regional engagement position, whilst in reality universities face various difficulties when asked to coordinate action around their knowledge production and circulation. It is this organisational complexity, and its implications for universities' regional contributions, that this volume seeks to address. Universities are knowledge-producing organisations with very decentralised organisational structures, Weick (1976) describing them as being "loosely coupled". In this volume, it is not just institutions that have the formal title of university, but all kinds of higher education institution (HEI) that blend teaching and research, thereby also encompassing universities of applied science, university colleges, specialist higher colleges (e.g. for teachers, musicians or artists) 1. Accordingly, different academic disciplines and areas (Becher and Trowler (2001)'s "academic tribes") have very different
The RUNIN project's Design Lab Think Tank took place on 28 th June 2018. Its aim was to discuss t... more The RUNIN project's Design Lab Think Tank took place on 28 th June 2018. Its aim was to discuss the topic of universities' engagement with society, specifically in their region. It used a world café format that brought together regional stakeholders to discuss how the University of Twente (UT) can incorporate societal questions in its core activities and, through this, create regional benefits. This report provides a description of the event, a summation of the initiatives proposed and an analysis of the discussion that was prompted by the sub-questions around the subject of universities' societal engagement. Reconnecting the University to the Region of Twente Findings from the RUNIN-Design Lab Think Tank 4 Think Tank Report Enschede, the Netherlands June 2018 to develop relations at various levels and nurture bottom-up initiatives and assimilation of knowledge from society into the academic community.
A well-functioning regional innovation system involves a lot of communication and interaction amo... more A well-functioning regional innovation system involves a lot of communication and interaction among the actors. However, sometimes the communication and interaction create tensions impeding regional development. In order to explore the reasons behind this, this study looks at the relationships between key stakeholders in the Twente Region in the Netherlands. The region has an established reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship, a high inter-connectedness between the actors, and a strong knowledge infrastructure. The research focuses on the University of Twente as a key actor contributing to regional growth in close cooperation with various stakeholders. This is an introductory interview-based case study that identifies four areas of tension between the university and its regional stakeholders. Our inquiry sheds light on the misalignment of stakeholders’ interests and expectations that lessens the actors’ capacity for policy formulation and strategic agenda setting, as well as...
Rhoda was a RUNIN research fellow at the University of Lincoln and has a PhD on the 'Microfoundat... more Rhoda was a RUNIN research fellow at the University of Lincoln and has a PhD on the 'Microfoundations of Academics Networks: Initiation, Evolution and Context'. She also holds a BSc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana and an MSc. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Oslo. She has industrial experience working as a supply chain quality specialist in Nestle Ghana. She is a visiting researcher at the University of Lincoln's International Business School and currently works as a business development manager at a startup company, Wattero AS in the Oslo area.
Examining the Role of Entrepreneurial Universities in Regional Development, 2020
The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particu... more The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particular, the ways in which academics are motivated and encouraged by regional development policies. The chapter specifically asks whether entrepreneurial universities create frameworks which allow university actors to positively contribute to collective development activities (such as clusters or technology transfer networks) by building new kinds of regional institutions. The chapter uses examples from three universities that all seek to be actively regionally engaged. This chapter identifies the factors that both encourage but also discourage these individual actors and notes that ongoing connections between individual academics and regional partners are critical to ensuring this constructive collaboration. The chapter contends that regional innovation policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
Entrepreneurial discovery processes in the three regions .... 4.5 Effectual and causal entreprene... more Entrepreneurial discovery processes in the three regions .... 4.5 Effectual and causal entrepreneurial discovery repertoires. 4.6 Reasoning approaches in entrepreneurial discovery processes ..
Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have ... more Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have been defined as important actors in today's knowledge economy since the 1990s, contributing to economic growth and development through knowledge production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders (Benneworth, Charles, & Madanipour, 2010; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). Nevertheless, universities' success is at least partly a function of their incredible organisational complexity (Lewis, Marginson, & Snyder, 2005) and there has been little consideration in conceptualising universities as regional organisations of how their complexity affects their regional engagement. In failing to consider this complexity, scholars and policy makers implicitly assume that it is enough for universities to adopt a strategic regional engagement position, whilst in reality universities face various difficulties when asked to coordinate action around their knowledge production and circulation. It is this organisational complexity, and its implications for universities' regional contributions, that this volume seeks to address. Universities are knowledge-producing organisations with very decentralised organisational structures, Weick (1976) describing them as being "loosely coupled". In this volume, it is not just institutions that have the formal title of university, but all kinds of higher education institution (HEI) that blend teaching and research, thereby also encompassing universities of applied science, university colleges, specialist higher colleges (e.g. for teachers, musicians or artists) 1. Accordingly, different academic disciplines and areas (Becher and Trowler (2001)'s "academic tribes") have very different
The chapter contributes to the literature and discussions on the regional engagement of universit... more The chapter contributes to the literature and discussions on the regional engagement of universities, providing empirical evidence on academic engagement and how these academics can be motivated and encouraged by regional policy. The chapter specifically asks the question how do entrepreneurial universities create (or do not) frameworks which enable purposive actions by academic actors acting as institutional entrepreneurs to participate in regional development outcomes. The chapter draws upon case studies of three universities all recently actively promoting regional entrepreneurship activities in various ways at the institutional level. This chapter identifies the key tensions and dynamics of the entrepreneurial university's behaviour to propose a first reflection on how regional policy can be both supportive and steering for institutional entrepreneurs. The chapter concludes that because the connections between institutional entrepreneurs and regional partners are vital to collaboration undertakenregional policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particu... more The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particular, the ways in which academics are motivated and encouraged by regional development policies. The chapter specifically asks whether entrepreneurial universities create frameworks which allow university actors to positively contribute to collective development activities (such as clusters or technology transfer networks) by building new kinds of regional institutions. The chapter uses examples from three universities that all seek to be actively regionally engaged. This chapter identifies the factors that both encourage but also discourage these individual actors and notes that ongoing connections between individual academics and regional partners are critical to ensuring this constructive collaboration. The chapter contends that regional innovation policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increa... more The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increased expectations for universities to engage in strategy making and assume broader roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, complexities inherent to the policy process, regional context and universities’ own institutional and organisational capacity are often ignored or under-explained when framing universities’ roles. Although these roles are frequently introduced, they have been superficially conceptualised in the literature. This study develops a deeper theoretical and empirical understanding of universities’ contributions in the different stages of regional innovation strategy processes. Through a comparative case study of four European universities, it explores the variation of these roles by policy stage and university actors involved in the strategies. Findings suggest universities have expanded to perform new planning-related roles (e.g. consultation, mediation) and that diverse factors (e.g. the regional context, such as urban versus peripheral) determine their participation in regional strategies. However, strategic coordination within universities and with regional bodies is needed for the optimisation of their engagement in the regional governance process.JEL Codes: I23, I25, O20, O30, R58
Active coalitions of regional stakeholders are at the heart of contemporary regional economic dev... more Active coalitions of regional stakeholders are at the heart of contemporary regional economic development policies, such as Smart Specialisation or Constructing Regional Advantage. These coalitions consist of actors from various organizations such as regional authorities, companies and higher education institutions that come together to achieve common agendas and advance their region. Accordingly, the numerous stakeholders are expected to work together seamlessly, build and implement strategies and thereby deliver regional development. However, by assuming that strategy formulation and implementation is straightforward, the challenges that lie within partnerships and the tensions that may arise between stakeholders can become neglected. Therefore, it is vital to understand tensions that drive towards situations in which strategy-building is not successful and 'black holes' of strategy-building emerge. By identifying the tensions between regional partners in the Twente region of the Netherlands, the aim is to understand how such stakeholder tensions affect regional development. It is assumed that by easing or resolving these tensions, stakeholder partnerships can contribute to the successful advancement of their region. The data for this qualitative case study are drawn from both research interviews and secondary sources.
The final chapter presents the practical implications arising from consequences of tensions emerg... more The final chapter presents the practical implications arising from consequences of tensions emerging when universities engage with actors in peripheral regions. Recommendations to education/science ministries require ensuring that national policy frameworks do not lead universities to downgrade regional missions, whilst regional policy-makers should pay attention to key university actors who may not be their strategic leaders. The volume concludes by arguing that policy-makers and practitioners should seek to better understand the tensions inherent in collaboration as an antecedent to developing better, more implementable, and ultimately more successful strategies for knowledge-based regional development in economically peripheral regions.
The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increa... more The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increased expectations for universities to engage in strategy making and assume broader roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, complexities inherent to the policy process, regional context and universities’ own institutional and organisational capacity are often ignored or under-explained when framing universities’ roles. Although these roles are frequently introduced, they have been superficially conceptualised in the literature. This study develops a deeper theoretical and empirical understanding of universities’ contributions in the different stages of regional innovation strategy processes. Through a comparative case study of four European universities, it explores the variation of these roles by policy stage and university actors involved in the strategies. Findings suggest universities have expanded to perform new planning-related roles (e.g. consultation, mediation) and that diverse f...
Universities and Regional Economic Development, 2018
Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have ... more Introduction: the challenge of universities contributing to peripheral regions Universities have been defined as important actors in today's knowledge economy since the 1990s, contributing to economic growth and development through knowledge production and collaboration with diverse stakeholders (Benneworth, Charles, & Madanipour, 2010; Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). Nevertheless, universities' success is at least partly a function of their incredible organisational complexity (Lewis, Marginson, & Snyder, 2005) and there has been little consideration in conceptualising universities as regional organisations of how their complexity affects their regional engagement. In failing to consider this complexity, scholars and policy makers implicitly assume that it is enough for universities to adopt a strategic regional engagement position, whilst in reality universities face various difficulties when asked to coordinate action around their knowledge production and circulation. It is this organisational complexity, and its implications for universities' regional contributions, that this volume seeks to address. Universities are knowledge-producing organisations with very decentralised organisational structures, Weick (1976) describing them as being "loosely coupled". In this volume, it is not just institutions that have the formal title of university, but all kinds of higher education institution (HEI) that blend teaching and research, thereby also encompassing universities of applied science, university colleges, specialist higher colleges (e.g. for teachers, musicians or artists) 1. Accordingly, different academic disciplines and areas (Becher and Trowler (2001)'s "academic tribes") have very different
The RUNIN project's Design Lab Think Tank took place on 28 th June 2018. Its aim was to discuss t... more The RUNIN project's Design Lab Think Tank took place on 28 th June 2018. Its aim was to discuss the topic of universities' engagement with society, specifically in their region. It used a world café format that brought together regional stakeholders to discuss how the University of Twente (UT) can incorporate societal questions in its core activities and, through this, create regional benefits. This report provides a description of the event, a summation of the initiatives proposed and an analysis of the discussion that was prompted by the sub-questions around the subject of universities' societal engagement. Reconnecting the University to the Region of Twente Findings from the RUNIN-Design Lab Think Tank 4 Think Tank Report Enschede, the Netherlands June 2018 to develop relations at various levels and nurture bottom-up initiatives and assimilation of knowledge from society into the academic community.
A well-functioning regional innovation system involves a lot of communication and interaction amo... more A well-functioning regional innovation system involves a lot of communication and interaction among the actors. However, sometimes the communication and interaction create tensions impeding regional development. In order to explore the reasons behind this, this study looks at the relationships between key stakeholders in the Twente Region in the Netherlands. The region has an established reputation for innovation and entrepreneurship, a high inter-connectedness between the actors, and a strong knowledge infrastructure. The research focuses on the University of Twente as a key actor contributing to regional growth in close cooperation with various stakeholders. This is an introductory interview-based case study that identifies four areas of tension between the university and its regional stakeholders. Our inquiry sheds light on the misalignment of stakeholders’ interests and expectations that lessens the actors’ capacity for policy formulation and strategic agenda setting, as well as...
Rhoda was a RUNIN research fellow at the University of Lincoln and has a PhD on the 'Microfoundat... more Rhoda was a RUNIN research fellow at the University of Lincoln and has a PhD on the 'Microfoundations of Academics Networks: Initiation, Evolution and Context'. She also holds a BSc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana and an MSc. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Oslo. She has industrial experience working as a supply chain quality specialist in Nestle Ghana. She is a visiting researcher at the University of Lincoln's International Business School and currently works as a business development manager at a startup company, Wattero AS in the Oslo area.
Examining the Role of Entrepreneurial Universities in Regional Development, 2020
The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particu... more The chapter addresses the question of how universities respond to regional policy, and in particular, the ways in which academics are motivated and encouraged by regional development policies. The chapter specifically asks whether entrepreneurial universities create frameworks which allow university actors to positively contribute to collective development activities (such as clusters or technology transfer networks) by building new kinds of regional institutions. The chapter uses examples from three universities that all seek to be actively regionally engaged. This chapter identifies the factors that both encourage but also discourage these individual actors and notes that ongoing connections between individual academics and regional partners are critical to ensuring this constructive collaboration. The chapter contends that regional innovation policy should devote more resources to building these critical links.
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Papers by Lisa Nieth