Re-thinking university spin-off: a critical literature review and a research agenda

Abstract

In recent years, universities have focused more on the creation of spin-off companies as a means of transferring the knowledge generated by their research activities. At the same time, this has generated an increase in academic research on this business structure in order to identify the best strategies for their management and the most efficient university policies, amongst other things. In this study, we have identified and evaluated the literature on university spin-offs published in journals included in the Social Sciences Citation Index of the Web of Science in order to identify what, by whom, where and how it has been researched. The number of studies was marginal until 2000 but has grown exponentially since 2010. Our systematic review classifies research findings into three levels—individual, firm, and institutional context—each with respect to characteristics, antecedents, and outcomes of entrepreneurial activities. Reviewing the content of these articles allows some gaps in the research to be identified and conclusions to be reached about possible future research in this field to supplement, update and extend the results obtained to date.