The Expectations of Businesses Settled in a Science Park

Abstract

Science parks are created to support the development and growth of knowledge-based businesses and to foster the economic development of a region. Based on an exploratory qualitative study, this research project aims, firstly, to understand the expectations of businesses established in science parks, which is not very well documented in the literature and, secondly, to highlight the motivations of a business to settle in a science park. In order to do so, the research is based on a constructivist approach. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted between September 2016 and April 2017 with managers of organizations established in seven science parks in the province of Quebec, Canada. The analysis these interviews identified six major motivations of businesses to settle in a science park. It also revealed eleven major expectations of the science park's contributions for a business established. As a contribution, this research provides some recommendations not only for the managers of science parks, but also for the managers of businesses who want to be established in a science park. This research provides insights for science park managers about the incentives to set up to attract new business and about the support to provide for the business established in a science park in their development.