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University-centred entrepreneurial ecosystems in resource-constrained contexts

Zsolt Bedő (Faculty of Business and Economics, Center for Applied Learning, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary)
Katalin Erdős (Faculty of Business and Economics, RIERC, University of Pécs, MTA-PTE Innovation and Economic Growth Research Group, Pécs, Hungary)
Luke Pittaway (Department of Management, College of Business, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA)

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development

ISSN: 1462-6004

Article publication date: 9 October 2020

Issue publication date: 29 October 2020

949

Abstract

Purpose

Research on entrepreneurial ecosystems has advanced over recent years and has become a popular topic. Despite the interest, previous work has focused on entrepreneurial ecosystems in large cities in the United States. Ecosystems in small cities, underpopulated rural areas, university towns and outside the USA have not been considered much. This paper begins to address this deficit by reviewing three groups of literature.

Design/methodology/approach

From the review, the paper builds a conceptual framework to consider entrepreneurial ecosystems led by universities. After summarizing the literature on entrepreneurial ecosystems, entrepreneurial universities and entrepreneurship education, the paper suggests a conceptual framework outlying the structure, components and mechanisms that enable universities to operate as catalysts in the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Findings

It is evident that on many of the “ingredients” of a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem, a resource-constrained environment would have many gaps. Building an entrepreneurship ecosystem in such contexts would be inherently challenging. The model presented suggests that the presence of a university in such locations should enhance the prospects of progress but that the nature of the university itself would impact any outcomes. Universities that make concerted efforts to be entrepreneurial and that have entrepreneurship programmes have strategies available to them that can enhance entrepreneurship ecosystems over time.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is to show “how” a university and its entrepreneurship programme can operationally address deficits in a local ecosystem and how it might bring about positive change. The paper also opens new avenues for entrepreneurship education researchers.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The research was financed by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Programme of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary, within the framework of the 4th thematic programme “Enhancing the Role of Domestic Companies in the Reindustrialization of Hungary” of the University of Pécs. This publication/research has been supported by the European Union and Hungary and co-financed by the European Social Fund through the project EFOP-3.6.2-16-2017-00017, titled “Sustainable, intelligent and inclusive regional and city models”.

Citation

Bedő, Z., Erdős, K. and Pittaway, L. (2020), "University-centred entrepreneurial ecosystems in resource-constrained contexts", Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, Vol. 27 No. 7, pp. 1149-1166. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-02-2020-0060

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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