Abstract
This paper explores the academic entrepreneur’s identity transition and its impact on spin-off’s innovative input. Central to this study is the factors that influence scholars’ position-holding behavior and their impact on spin-offs. Based on the data of the 2005–2010 SME Innovation Fund and 14 interviews, we investigate the influence of scholars’ role embeddedness on their entrepreneurial role-taking behavior from the perspective of identity theory. Empirical results show that scholars with higher embeddedness in academia are less likely to hold a spin-offs’ CEO position. Besides, follow-up research found that scholars holding CEO positions can increase a spin-off’s R&D input, which reveals the influence of scholars’ career imprinting and its scientific logic on role-taking behaviors and spin-offs’ innovation input. We also empirically test the effect of scientific logic and business logic on a spin-off’s innovation input, concluding that conflicts between these two logics are detrimental to a firm’s innovation input. This paper contributes to existing literature by providing a new perspective for identity theory and has implications for scholars’ entrepreneurial practice. Additionally, it provides a theoretical basis for technology transfer and open innovation policy.
Highlights
In developing the theoretical framework, we introduce the concept of role embeddedness, which we define as the academic entrepreneurs’ behaviors that are constrained by ongoing social networks, which make it difficult to transit from a scholar identity to an entrepreneur identity
“Mentors” are usually more embedded in academia and envision a scholar role as their focal role identity, so they are more likely to hold the position of chief technology officer (CTO), chief scientific officer (CSO), and advisors in entrepreneurship, while PhD students with lower embeddedness in academic social networks have higher propensity to transit to a pure entrepreneur, and hold a Chief executive officer (CEO) position
Empirical results show that the role of scholars in entrepreneurship is influenced by their role embeddedness in academia
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Little research has further discussed academic entrepreneurs’ identity transition according to their occupational position in ventures, and how this position-holding behavior would impact a spin-off’s innovation performance. Role identity management strategies would influence venture growth because of individuals’ varied expectations for the entrepreneurial role [7] This constructs the frame of reference to make strategic choices [9]and spin-offs’ commercialization path [10]. In developing the theoretical framework, we introduce the concept of role embeddedness, which we define as the academic entrepreneurs’ behaviors that are constrained by ongoing social networks, which make it difficult to transit from a scholar identity to an entrepreneur identity. Empirical results show that academic entrepreneurs’ scientific logic positively influences a spin-off’s innovation input. Scholars tend to hold the chief technology officer (CTO), chief scientific officer (CSO), or advisor position to mitigate role identity conflict
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