Incubation Center Research Articles

Assessment of Global COVID-19 on SMEs

The purpose of study is the assessment of global Covid-19 on small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) with the case of Technological Incubation Centre (TIC), Ibadan. Three research objectives were raised. A descriptive survey research design was used. The population of the study is 29 (twenty-nine). Total Census survey was adopted as the sampling technique. SPSS software 20 analysis was used to analyze the data. The study concluded that, there has been increase in all the inputs needed for the production processes at the Centre. Therefore, sales of goods at the period of the Covid-19 have been negatively affected, which has similarly impacted on employment generation. It’s recommended that the management of the TIC should assist the businesses to mitigate the adverse effect of the Covid-19; while the Nigerian government should consider the SMEs as an important sub-sector that could restore the economy to the period of better economic growth.

Influence of Entrepreneurial Traits on the Success of Agripreneurs

Aims: Entrepreneurship is a state of mind that allows you to take calculated risks with confidence in order to attain a certain economic or industrial goal. This study deals with the socio- economic and entrepreneurial characteristics which finds place in business success.
 Study Design: Expost- facto study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Sample: The study has been conducted among the agripreneurs from agri-incubation centersof Coimbatore and Maduraibetween February 2021 and August 2021.
 Methodology: Proportionate Random sampling method, 104 respondents were selected for the study from the total population of 416 samples. The data was collected by using pre – tested and well-structured interview schedule. Each agripreneur were personally interviewed to collect the information. The collected data was analyzed by using statistical tools such as Percentage analysis, Mean score and Regression method.
 Results: It was observed that experience in business, self-confidence, annual income, economic motivation and credit orientation plays major role in determining the success of agripreneurs. It was suggested that more mentoring to increasing self confidence among the entrepreneurs in incubation centers and providing fund will lead to the success.
 Conclusion: Experience also paved the way to success, by gaining experience one can learn and decide how to make the enterprise as profit and successful venture. It was suggested that creating more source of fund for their business investment and motivation by giving mentoring would increase the self confidence which lead effectively towards the business success of agripreneurs.

The role of incubator classification on performance of incubators in Kenya.

The study sought to assess the importance of classifying incubators based on the programs offered for optimum performance. Client selection criteria were assessed through three constructs namely: models that fit program goals, uniqueness of ideas, and standard selection tool. A mixed cross-sectional and causal design was adopted and a census was carried out targeting all the 51 incubators. Primary data was collected with an incubator program as a grouping/ cluster variable yielding a multilevel data structure with incubator centres nested in programs. Linear mixed effect models were fitted using Stata to assess the study objective taking into account the fixed effects for the incubator centre level (level-1) and random effects for the program level (level-2). The uniqueness of ideas was found to have a significant fixed effect on performance at level one while at level two, the study found significant random intercepts of incubator centre performance across the programs. Models that match program goals and standard selection tools were also found to have significant random slopes as level two random covariates in the model. Based on the findings of significant random slopes, the study concluded that incubator classification is key for client selection criteria and enhances incubator performance.

Business Incubation Centres in Universities and Their Role in Developing Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Given the potential of start-ups in wealth creation in an economy, universities can play a leading role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our article focuses on the need to provide a strong impetus for establishing business incubation centres at universities for progressive creation of innovation start-ups. The study reviews the current status of business incubators affiliated with universities in India. It also explores the variables such as location, affiliation and ease of doing business which help facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship. An ontological perspective of objectivism whereby universities are seen to play a role in not just generation of knowledge but also in the development of an ecosystem where the knowledge is transferred to initiate new ventures is considered for the study. Based on the entire population of universities in India; 937 universities were considered for the study through the websites, and an analysis of the coherent and incoherent activities of these incubation centres was performed to check for the presence of entrepreneurship-related activities. Also, the ease of doing business rankings were mapped to assess whether they played a role in stimulating the setup of incubators.

Müdahaleler ve Destek Mekanizması Yoluyla Girişimciliğin Büyümesine Odaklanmak: Bhutan'dan Bir Örnek

The role of entrepreneurship is always regarded as an important pillar of a country’s socio-economic development. There is evidence that startups and entrepreneurs contribute a substantial share of the contribution to the national economy. There are situational challenges encountered by entrepreneurs which make entrepreneurs a not preferred option to venture into as well as forcing existing entrepreneurs to withdraw their active roles. This study makes use of secondary data from the published sources to underline the intervention measures as well as a support mechanism that a small country like Bhutan has been exercising in past decades to foster the growth of entrepreneurship in the country. The study found out the initiative and mechanisms provided by various agencies and stakeholders to make a vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem proved much successful and also creations of multiple incubation centers are proving out much successful in the case of Bhutan. Even in the era of the ongoing pandemic, Bhutan has identified entrepreneurs especially “cottage and small scales industries (CSI)” as a key element of its economy and prioritizes it as one of the flagship programs to be supported in the current five-year plan of the country.

A study on the implementation approaches of University Incubation Centres to reinforce entrepreneurship - taking the example of Singapore

Abstract Purpose This study deals with missions, significant policies, operational approaches, and training programs learned from Singapore's experiences, thus contributing to a more profound knowledge of entrepreneurship in order to establish suggestions and boost the implementation of entrepreneurship and incubator business, particularly in universities in Indonesia. This study purposes to understand in-depth the practical implementation approaches of university incubation centres to facilitate entrepreneurship in Singapore. Insights were obtaining following a literature review approach. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from a variety of sources, including government documents, university reports, global related entrepreneurship research websites (GEI, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor [GEM], 2019), and related journals (e.g., Entrepreneurship, Incubators, and University Incubators). Findings Synthetically, incubation centres possess the following primary missions: (1) they integrate professionals in various fields to promote industry partnerships and engagement; (2) they provide training to new entrepreneurs for achievement enhancement, mainly to help them acquire missing business knowledge; (3) they encourage start-ups to engage with one another in the culture of incubators, to enlist more people to join in supporting and expanding the society; (4) they commercialise intellectual properties and promote the commercialisation of inventions and innovations for the future market; (5) they bridge academic professors with industry entrepreneurs for technology upgrades and business transformation. To summarise, University Incubation Centres in Indonesia should strive to emulate the best practices of some Singaporean universities and do everything possible to help their tenants accelerate their entrepreneurial processes. In order to be competitive, an incubator must extend its network and partner with successful industries, funding agencies, industries, and universities.

Mentor expectations and entrepreneurial venture creation: mediating role of the sense of nothing to lose and entrepreneurial resilience

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of mentor expectations on nascent entrepreneur’s venture creation and how this relationship strengthens/weakens when mediated by the sense of nothing to lose and entrepreneurial resilience. Design/methodology/approach The author nested the data from mentors and protégé entrepreneurs by using a questionnaire survey. Mentors were those individuals who were established entrepreneurs and involved in training to protégé entrepreneurs. Protégé entrepreneurs were those who were part of the cohorts in incubation centers for training and startup training. Findings Data revealed that it was unlikely to create a new venture when mentors displayed low expectations in protégé entrepreneurs. However, this relationship was positively mediated by the sense of nothing to lose and entrepreneurial resilience. Practical implications The findings have important implications on how mentor expectations can hinder protégé entrepreneurs’ venture creation and how it turns around when entrepreneurs display the ability of nothing to lose and resilience. Originality/value Mentorship from other experienced individuals has become essential to entrepreneurs and their fledgling ventures. Although there is an acknowledgment that mentoring improves an entrepreneur’s likelihood of success in a new venture, yet far too little the authors know about the degree of expectations in mentor-mentee relationships and new venture creation. This research connects those pieces of the puzzle and fills the gap.

Entrepreneurial Mindset, Orientation, and Performance of University Students in Indonesia

Entrepreneurship plays an important role in determining the level of economic growth of a country. This study aims are to explorethe impact of entrepreneurial mindset on innovativeness, risk-taking, competitive aggressiveness, autonomy, and proactiveness onentrepreneurial performance. This research uses Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze thedata.. It gathered data of 364 respondents, which were the bachelor students of management program of public universities inSurabaya, Indonesia. The results show that entrepreneurial mindset has a significant impact to innovativeness, risk-taking,competitive aggressiveness, autonomy, and proactiveness. It also enhances positive and significant impact to entrepreneurialperformance of the students. It implies that the entrepreneurship education of public universities in Surabaya, Indonesia succeedsto change the students’ mindset and orientation. The government needs to increase entrepreneurship education centers andbusiness incubator centers at various universities.

Popularity of patent commercialization policies: Iran as a case

Commercialization of technologies has attracted increasing attention over the past years due to its role in improving national competitiveness. Iran has not been an exception as the country's policy-makers have been actively engaged in crafting national policies to facilitate and promote commercialization of technologies. The popularity of the existing policies in this field, however, has not been properly researched. Our research, by following a survey study methodology, aims for the first time to address this gap. The study looks at popularity of governmental policies aimed at supporting commercialization of patented technologies in Iran, based on the careful study of 10 cases of successfully commercialized patented technologies in Iran. Our results indicate that the commercialization process of the studied patented technologies was very much affected by some company/technology-specific characteristics. The study shows that the two policy measures with the highest perceived popularity were the financial supports and the services offered by incubation centers. Our results also show that some of the existing supportive policy measures did not serve the intended purposes and some other measures need to be fine-tuned, as far as the studied cases are concerned, such as frequently held invention and innovation exhibitions and the government-supported media coverage.

IT IS NOW OR NEVER; FOR ENHANCED RESEARCH COLLABORATION, NAY, PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND INSTITUTES/ACADEMIA

Pens have gone dry and words have run out, highlighting the need for Industry-Academia collaboration. However, it is indeed deeply dismaying that very little progress has been made in “building the bridges” we have been advocating and promoting over the last few decades, when the necessity and urgency of innovative research leading to IP/Patent protection and technology licensing is recognised as a priority. Except for couple of pockets of excellence, there have been very few “box office” hits to write about. One example to quote is the Venture Centre at the NCL (National Chemical Laboratory, Pune) headed by Dr. V. Premnath. A few exceptional achievements in a relatively short time by this innovation/start up incubation centre are worth taking note of.

Peranan Perbadanan Pembangunan Ekonomi Sarawak (SEDC) Sibu Dalam Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat

This study aims to determine the forms of community, the process and changes and results achieved by SEDC Sibu in economic empowerment for the Sibu community. Based on these objectives, what will be the main discussion in this research is how SEDC Sibu plays a role in the economic empowerment efforts of the Sibu community. This study uses qualitative research methods, namely by using descriptive study methods. As a result of research findings and analysis, (1) SEDC Sibu has carried out several forms of economic empowerment programs that are in the form of loan assistance, training, and guidance such as the Small and Simple Industrial Loans Scheme (SPIKS), Incubator Centers and Business Guidance (PIBU), Training and Mentoring Guidance, and so forth. (2) The process carried out by SEDC Sibu are by holding deliberations in planning programs, formulating program plans, forming program implementation teams, and implementing programs. (3) The program that has been run successfully is based on indicators obtained from the field, namely increasing the income of the whole day, the community can manage all its affairs independently, and the community can solve problems with their ability and authority.

Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: Lesson Learnt from Pandemic Crisis

Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: Lesson Learnt from Pandemic Crisis

Investigating the Role of University Incubation Centers in Growth of Entrepreneurial Capacity of Technology Cores and Technology Centers at Islamic azad University

مراکز رشد دانشگاهی از جمله مراکز مهم در جهت ارتقاي نوآوري، کارآفرینی و توسعه اقتصادي کشور می‌باشد که با حمایت‌هاي این مراکز، شرکت‌هاي وابسته به آن توسعه‌یافته و باعث جنب‌وجوش در چرخه اقتصادي کشور می‌گردند. امروزه این مراکز نقش بسیار مهمی در پیشرفت و توسعه اقتصادی و صنعتی کشورهای توسعه‌یافته و در حال‌ توسعه ایفا می‌کنند و در بسیاری کشورها توانسته است تأثیرات شگرفی در دستیابی به توسعه دانش‌محور و همچنین تقویت تعاملات دولت، دانشگاه و صنعت برجای گذارد. لذا با توجه به اهمیت این موضوع، پژوهش حاضر درصدد بررسی نقش مراکز رشد دانشگاهی در توانمندی کارآفرینانه هسته‌ها و واحدهای فناور مراکز رشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی استان سیستان و بلوچستان می‌باشد. جامعه آماري اين تحقيق شامل کلیه مدیران هسته‌ها و واحدهای فناور مراکز رشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی استان سیستان و بلوچستان بوده که از سال 1394 تاکنون در محل مراکز رشد استقرار پیدا کرده‌اند. پژوهش حاضر از نظر روش جمع‌آوری اطلاعات جزء تحقیقات توصیفی (غیرآزمایشی) و از نوع پیمایشی است و ازآنجاکه به بررسی توزیع ویژگی‌های جامعه آماری در یک مقطع زمانی می‌پردازد، تحقیق پیمایشی از نوع مقطعی است. در این تحقیق براي تجزیه‌وتحلیل داده‌ها از نرم‌افزارهای تحلیل آماری SPSS 19 و LISREL 8/54 و از آزمون‌های تی تک نمونه‌ای، تحلیل عاملی، مدل ساختاری استفاده شده است. نتایج حاصل نشان داد، مراکز رشد دانشگاهی بر میزان توانمندی کارآفرینانه هسته‌ها و واحدهای فناور مرکز رشد دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی استان سیستان و بلوچستان تأثیر مثبت و معناداری دارد.

Do entrepreneurship ecosystem and managerial skills contribute to startup development?

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze the factors affecting startup development and the entrepreneurship ecosystem's contribution to it.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative methodology is used for data collection from different startup owners working across Pakistan. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study, which investigates the causal effect of variables at a definite point in time. Non-probability convenient sampling was used for selecting available startups from the incubation centers. The sampling framework consists of the founders of the startups that have been previously incubated at any of the selected incubation centers.FindingsRegression analysis results from 165 responses of entrepreneurs and incubation centers demonstrate that the most important factors affecting startup development were financial access, government support, marketing challenges, education, technology and managerial skills in order of occurrence. Entrepreneurship ecosystem also proved to have a very positive impact on the relationship of these factors with startup development.Practical implicationsIn this paper, the factors that affect the development of startup are analyzed and recommendations are provided.Originality/valueThis research is comprehensive, as we have collected data from actual entrepreneurs and incubation centers to explain how entrepreneurs initiate their startup business by considering their managerial skills. As such, this study is unique in that the data comes from newly developed incubations centers in one of South Asia's fastest-growing economies.

Effectiveness of Incubation Centres in Creating Sustainable Businesses in Zimbabwe

Effectiveness of Incubation Centres in Creating Sustainable Businesses in Zimbabwe

Benchmarking entrepreneurial intentions of women in the United Arab Emirates

PurposeBased on the extensive literature review and the research published in the context of Western countries, this study proposes that the entrepreneurship education, participation in entrepreneurial seminars at the universities and their involvement in the activities of innovation and incubation center of the universities may foster entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) among Emirati female graduating students.Design/methodology/approachTo test the study’s hypothesized model, survey data are collected from 283 female graduating students of 19 public and private universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The analysis of the data relies upon multiple hierarchical regression and moderation analysis in SPSS.FindingsThe results suggest that all three types of educational activities positively influence the women's EIs in the UAE. However, formal entrepreneurship courses are more effective than the participation in seminars and involvement in the activities of innovation/incubation center. The authors also found that perceived social support does not moderate the impact of education on EIs, which means that entrepreneurship education is equally effective in fostering EIs, no matter female students perceive low or high social support. On the other hand, results demonstrate that the level of gender stereotypes negatively moderates the impact of education on it. This implies that if a female student believes in a high gender stereotype, the impact of education on her EIs will be low and vice versa.Research limitations/implicationsThis study specifically focuses on women entrepreneurship and for the UAE only. However, the results can be generalized for female entrepreneurship, specifically for countries where governments are taking initiatives to foster female entrepreneurship. The study provides specific implications for the UAE public policy government.Practical implicationsAs the Government of the UAE is keenly interested to boost up the women entrepreneurial behavior, the findings of the study support that in addition to entrepreneurship education, the government should also encourage the universities to arrange entrepreneurship seminars as these seminars also increase the EIs of women. In addition, the government and the universities should also focus on the involvement of women in the incubation centers/innovation park because the incubation centers can provide the practical exposure to the women in the new business start-ups.Originality/valueThis research is among the first, which benchmarks women EIs in the UAE.

Establishment of business incubation centers in universities: a step towards innovative business in health system

ABSTRACT: 
 Much needed services & resources for the progression of a business are presented by Business Incubation Centers (BIC) for beginner incubates. A successful business incubate would contribute positively in the region by forming original technologies and reducing unemployment(1, 2).
 The set up of Business Incubation Centers (BICs) is supported by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan which offers related services for young incubates, contributing to successful and freestanding companies in the country(3).
 The objectives is to encourage self-employment among the young, commercializing research originating from universities(4), creating alliance between Industry and Academia, & contributing to economic growth by employing & forming viable firms(2).
 HEC has established thirty business incubation centers in public sector universities of major cities in Pakistan.
 Among the thirty universities, BICs have been set up in two universities related to medicine and allied health sciences namely Khyber Medical University Peshawar and Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi. The focus of this paper is to highlight this under studied area and center of attention are the startup incubates from health industry.
 Many ground-breaking inventive projects enlisted on HEC’s website are available for commercialization of research, all originating from engineering and technology, none of which stems from medical universities. Although integrating medicine with technology would positively impact the society many fold yet it appears to be a ground unfamiliar by medical faculty(5)
 Assessing comments of medical faculty confirms their estrangement regarding BIC(2). There is a lack of knowledge among the faculty concerning BIC; much work has to be done in encouraging medical faculty which will result in positive contributions.
 Informal surveys and observations that we conducted further illustrate the aforementioned point and confirm inadequate knowledge of faculty and students regarding BICs, their objectives and purpose of formation. BIC in health industry appear to be a foreign ground passing unnoticed by faculty today.
 One can find many startups emerging in the field of health worldwide from internet sources.(6) In Pakistan many innovative business projects originating from the fields of IT, environmental sciences, agriculture, engineering technology etc have been registered by HEC and are ready for commercialization.
 Khyber Medical University Business Incubation Center KUBIC is providing an effective platform interconnecting commercial industries and investors inviting multiple incubates across the province to bring forth innovative ideas in the field of health.
 The future of business incubation appears bright as there are rich opportunities of research today despite the challenges they face as analyzed by past three decades of emerging practice. 5

Lean Six Sigma Analyst in Packing House Lembang Agriculture Incubation Center (LAIC)

Agriculture is the main sector in Indonesia, which covers 30,45% of all employment sectors in Indonesia. This makes Indonesia as agricultural country that makes this sector must be very much considered. Agriculture’ Supply Chain, starting from Former until the yields reaches the consumers, is the main focus. The appearance of a problem in one chain can cause scarcity, loss, and price disparity. So, Lembang Agriculture Incubation Center (LAIC) as one of the distributors who connects farmers and consumers must pay attention to this supply chain. Shipment with the right time, amount and type is a benchmark for success so the packaging process is very much considered especially for vegetables, because vegetables are included in the perishable good group. Process mapping using the Lean Six Sigma method can be applied to analyze the vegetable packaging process by LAIC. This proses mapping will pay attention to the current process and look for factors that support and inhibit the packaging process (value added and non value added) then improve if there are problems that must be followed up immediately. Lean Six Sigma analysis is carried out in 5 stages, they are:First stage, Define is done to create a Value Stream Mapping (VSM) packaging process which shows that the length of packaging time is 1054.08 minutes for the value added process and 225.18 minutes for the non value added process. The second and the third, Measurement is done by the Process Activity Mapping (PAM) method to see what processes are non-value added processes that cause the packaging process to be long and will be Analyzed for the cause of the problem using fishbone. Furthermore the fourth, Improvement is done by eliminating waste (non value added) and also adding one additional worker so that the packaging process has a time reduction, namely, 1028.4 minutes of value added process and 79.4 minutes of non value added process. The last stage or the fifth is Controling which is done by applying a new SOP that has been fixed in the previous stage.So, with the proposed improvement given, there was a 171.46 minute reduction in the vegetable packaging process at LAIC.

Talent acquisition in startups in India: the role of social capital

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the talent acquisition practices adopted by startups and understand how small entrepreneurs leverage social capital to address the talent acquisition challenges faced by them, and; identify some of the unique parameters adopted by startups in talent acquisition.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a multiple case study method to explore the talent acquisition practices in startups in India. The study included six case studies on startups in Hubli city of North Karnataka in India.FindingsThis paper finds that startups (especially in smaller cities) face challenges such as lower quality of talent pool, absence of a brand name, inability to provide competitive salary and other benefits as per industry standards and locational disadvantages in talent acquisition. Thus, entrepreneurs leverage their social capital for talent acquisition by handpicking talent on the basis of familiarity or credible networks and recommendations. Incubation centres provide institutionalized sources of social capital to help them attract good talent. This study finds that employee-culture fit and trust play important role in acquiring talent in startups.Practical implicationsThe study has implications for startup entrepreneurs, recruitment service providers, incubation centres, trainers, policymakers, etc. The study provides useful insights to the startups with regard to their recruitment practices.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in the domains of talent acquisition, startups and social capital by describing hiring challenges faced by startups and exploring the mechanisms used by them in overcoming such challenges.

Investigation of the key success factors of ventures incubated at IBA CED incubation center; An Empirical Study

Incubation is being used as a mechanism to promote entrepreneurship across the globe. The Pakistani universities have also followed this and are establishing incubation centers. However, the success rate is not very encouraging. The IBA incubation program is a unique form of incubation programs as it emphasizes more on the understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset and the effectuation theory before pursuing entrepreneurial journey. This paper describes the IBA incubation fellowship model and its practical application on new startups. The paper analyses the companies who were incubated and identifies the key success factors of these firms. This paper adds to the literature on incubation in Pakistan.