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An increasingly crucial role is played by nonprofit organizations (NPOs) as actors of collaborative governance arrangements for both the prioritization and direct provision of public interest services. Ever since the seminal study by Salamon and Anheier (1996), the drivers behind the rise in dimension and relevance of the third sector have been analyzed from different standpoints. It is now relevant to also analyze nonprofits not only as substitutes or complements to “classical” economic sectors such as government, but also the private for-profit sector. The types of relationships between socio-economic actors can be recognized as preconditions for explaining structural developments in knowledge-based economies, with a transformative impact on production modes and specifically on innovation ecosystems. With specific reference to analyses suiting the knowledge society, it is particularly interesting to consider the roles of outcome-oriented organizations as key actors for social innovation.

A relevant explanatory framework, which has gained recognition in recent years, is the triple helix model (Etzkowitz & Leydesdorff, 2000). This approach was originally employed in analyzing the existing dynamics between key actors (government, businesses, and universities) in fostering innovation and knowledge transfer. The model is rising to be a key reference also for social innovation processes.

In this chapter, we enquire to what extent the triple helix approach to social innovation is diffused in the Italian context, and whether this affects the financial sustainability, collaborative orientation, accountability and readiness for innovation of Italian NPOs. To pursue these research objectives, we employ recent data produced by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) – specifically, the Nationwide Census of Industry and Services carried out in 2011 and published in July 2013. We intersect this secondary data with a nationwide survey of Italian NPOs conducted in 2013, specifically designed in order to gain deeper understanding of the revenue structures, organizational characteristics and features of collaborative relationships of such organizations – that is, highly contingent aspects at the meso- and micro-level which the ISTAT census does not cover.

Our results highlight significant differences in the behavior and outcomes for those NPOs who adopt a systemic collaboration approach with other actors in the socio-economic system. Based on this exploratory evidence, we propose reflections and indications for future research in the discussion section.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss, theoretically and practically, the role of civil society groups in eco‐innovation.

Starting from a discussion on the emergence of “triple helix twins”, “quadruple helix” and “N‐tuple helices”, this paper discusses the role of civil society groups in eco‐innovation by addressing the following research questions: Why is it necessary to stress that civil society groups are as important as university, industry and government in eco‐innovation? What inspiration can “triple helix twins” and “quadruple helix” provide when arguing for a fourth actor of civil society groups in eco‐innovation? How are civil society groups affecting eco‐innovation practice and what does it tell us about the relation between civil society groups and the triple helix actors? In addressing the “How” question the authors draw on examples of eco‐innovation activities in Denmark and China.

Theoretically, the authors find that eco‐innovation has peculiarities of “intents toward environmental benefits”, “double externality problem” and “regulatory push/pull”. These peculiarities call for an explicit focus on civil society groups in eco‐innovation studies. Practically, eco‐innovation practices from Danish and Chinese companies show that: non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role as external expert knowledge providers, mediators and supporters of green business; the practices of the Danish case company indicate that civil society groups are not only foundations for developing innovation – they can be actors themselves; the existence of semi‐governmental organizations in the Chinese case company, which is categorized under the concept of NGOs, shows the limitations of the concept of civil society groups in exposing important actors and indicates the importance of analysing “mixed” organizations representing by linkages between the four actors.

The peculiarities of eco‐innovation indicate that eco‐innovation policy and strategy making should take civil society groups into consideration, as they are helpful not only to provide pressure and push industry onto a green track, but also as supporters and carriers of green business. Corporate social responsibility is proposed as a stepping‐stone to engage civil society groups in broader eco‐innovation activity.

The paper starts an important and novel discussion on the importance of worldwide acceptance of civil society groups as important actors in eco‐innovation.

The public‐university‐government triple helix for sustainable development has been proposed, through introducing a new element (public) into the triple helix model while retaining the balance between economic growth and eco‐system development (Etzkowitz and Zhou). This study aims to explore the future roles and influences of science and technology parks (STPs) on green growth in China, which is now releasing about six billion tons of CO₂ a year (Maplecroft) as GDP keeps over an 8 percent growth rate.

The regular research methodology in social sciences is taken including data collections, interviews, and some investigation to construct the theoretical conception and findings.

Economic growth and environmental sustainability are not in conflict, but are mutually promoting. The green growth approach seeks to create an economic framework which opens up increased opportunities for maximizing the eco‐efficiency, such as sharing and transferring knowledge and technologies for eco‐efficient production processes, for renewable resource use and for integrated natural resources management as well as for creating new job opportunities.

The theme of the paper lies in that a triple helix must be built in order to achieve sustainable development (green growth). The triple helix embodies a couple of objectives of the innovation for economic growth and sustainable development‐triple helix twin. Its most important practical implication is to balance economic growth and sustainability and achieve green growth. STPs' roles should be emphasized.

University‐public‐government triple helix for sustainability is a creative development of triple helix study, which is based on the study in university‐industry‐government triple helix for innovation. The paper uses the idea originally to explore how to get green growth in China though the roles of science parks.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and understand the condition that lead to a constitution’s path of Brazilian Science Parks, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, and consequently to propose a new dimension of analysis to the Triple Helix.

A qualitative approach was used to elaborate a descriptive and exploratory research design, where a case study method was applied on six science parks.

The use of the Triple Helix model could not explain the Brazilian Science Park development realities. A new element, related to the innovation model, was considered as a determinant in the constitution of the Brazilian parks, and is represented as the community leadership category, as the Fourth Helix.

Since it is a qualitative study, the results obtained have a strong relation with the local, cultural and historically constructed contexts. Bias from the researchers’ subjectivity in the data collection procedures is present, although the validity and reliability measures were performed.

The construction of designed and implemented specific “fertile models,” which are capable of developing the necessary conditions for the constitution and the consolidation of science parks in Brazil.

Such empirical contribution comes from data referring to spontaneous and endogenous local community development movements.

The identification of a new element of the Triple Helix innovation model is represented as the community leadership category and is considered as a key determinant in the constitution of the Brazilian Science Parks.

The purpose of this purpose is to understand the territorial management process behind the implementation and anchoring of a foreign direct investment (FDI) project in an emerging country during its project life cycle. This research contributes to the “strategy as practice” and “triple helix” research fields.

The authors use qualitative and single-case research with secondary public sources and confirmatory interviews. The case is related to the process of implementing and anchoring a joint venture in the semiconductor industry between a South Korean company and a Brazilian company. The relations between the university, the companies and the government are analyzed in terms of supporting territorial attractiveness.

Viewing the attraction of FDI in collaborative terms provides new empirical evidence and explanations of the phenomenon. From this single-case study, the authors can offer the following research propositions, which can be further developed and tested: P1 – the use of a triple helix strategy is an attractive factor when applying an exogenous investment; P2: the entrepreneurial university is an attractive factor when applying an exogenous investment; and P3: contemporary public policies must be involved in complex networks with the community to achieve success when locating and anchoring an exogenous investment.

One of the main limitations is linked to the secondary data sources for the reconstruction of the case narrative. Secondary data sources omit important details when reporting events. The authors tried to overcome this limitation by using multiple sources and providing different types and breadth of details; for the triangulation stage, the authors held interviews to confirm the data collected in the newspapers and to look for details that could have passed unnoticed. Additionally, it should be noted that the confirmatory interviews were retrospective. An intensive interview promotes the clarification of each participant’s interpretation of his or her own experience and therefore represents a very useful method for interpretative research. However, the limitation is that between the experience and the date of the interviews, the interviewee undergoes many other experiences, learning and contexts that modify his or her point of view and way of interpreting what happened in the past. Finally, in this study, the authors have chosen a “Gioia method” template rather than an “Eisenhardt” template (Langley and Abdallah, 2011) and one impression may be the result of a limitation of this template, as pointed out by Langley and Abdallah (2011) “This template has limitations too. One potential limitation that seems, however, not to have hindered these researchers concerns the challenge of convincing readers about the transferability and relevance of the findings given the propensity to study single cases.” In an interpretive research, it is argued that it is the depth of contextual detail in a case study that provides the understanding necessary for a reader to judge whether the theoretical implication is pertinent.

This paper presents a case of success in attracting FDI in emerging countries. The authors emphasize the mechanisms, agreements and difficulties experienced by the government and the local community involved in the management process for the implementation and anchoring of an FDI project. This study offers a valuable resource for FDI attraction for public sector managers and society members. The management of the implementation process of an FDI project life cycle leads to a “territorial triple helix” model that can be used by emerging countries to promote sustainable economic development in high-tech industries. By choosing the theoretical choice of narrative, the authors have a better understanding of the process for anchoring FDI because the authors can identify key events and present information on how territories develop their policies.

The example of the Brazilian experience in the management of the FDI anchor of the semiconductor industry implies a series of learning for the emerging economies, particularly in terms of the possibility to discover new features to increase the attractiveness of their FDIs. Usually when the authors think about or consult the literature on attracting and anchoring FDI projects, the authors find that countries are concerned about market size, trade openness or interest rate data. However, in the case of HT Micron, an unknown or untouched criterion can be added: the collaboration between the agents of society.

The present research challenges the linear views of project life and displays a successful project that follows a quite different path. This study is original because it provides public sector managers and society members with a valuable resource for FDI implementation and anchoring. Usually when the authors think about or consult the literature on attracting and anchoring FDI projects, the authors find that countries are concerned about market size, trade openness or interest rate data. However, in the HT Micron case, it is possible to add an unknown or untouched criterion: the collaboration between agents of society.

The purpose of this study was to compare the evolution of the scientific production of Costa Rica and Panama, from Central America and Paraguay and Uruguay, from South America in the period 2000–2018. To achieve this, first, a bibliometric mapping was performed using the Web of Science (WoS) database. Second, the triple helix model was used to determine whether there are similar patterns or marked differences in the distribution of this type of publications in the helices of government, academia and industry.

The steps followed in this study were as follows: design and application of an algorithm to perform WoS downloads; download the publications using the country descriptor; process data using R and VOSviewer; design of a profile of the selected countries based on indicators; and use of the triple helix model to determine the weight of the scientific production.

The data found corroborate that the small technoscientific worlds examined do not have the minimum Science & Technology personnel nor the capabilities in infrastructure and technological equipment, and that expenditure in this area is minimal and for these reasons, the production in the WoS is low.

Studying the small technoscientific worlds from a bibliometric perspective allows generating inputs to diagnose the state of these countries in this area, as no evidence of similar studies in these countries was found in Scopus or the WoS. Likewise, examining scientific production from the triple helix model makes it possible to identify the weaknesses of each actor, and the results can contribute to the design of better public policies.

The evolution of capitalism has gone through four major epochs, from the first tangible exchanges of goods and resources, to the generation of wealth by entrepreneurs held personally accountable for their actions, to cost-cutting measures for increasing efficiencies and maximizing wealth for the few, and finally to a socially irresponsible form. The fourth epoch dispatched the last remaining shards of capitalist responsibility to anyone but investors, as the basis of wealth appropriation shifted to manipulating the speculative future worth of intangible or fictitious capital. This evolution through four epochs has sadly been a process of diminishing value creation (Boje et al., 2017).

We are trapped in an era of socially irresponsible capitalism with little respect for humankind. But, it was not always this way. The earliest references to entrepreneurial behavior emerged in the east during the Han Dynasty and in the west in the eighteenth century. Somewhat like the fourth epoch of the twenty-first century, these global beginnings of early capitalism were also directed by opportunistic desires to pursue wealth generation by taking advantage of people’s needs and wants. Although capitalists have consistently been the prime directors of resources and the distributors of wealth, in the early epochs of capitalism they were different. The early epoch entrepreneurs bore personal risks of business failure, consequences that might impact them for a lifetime.

The antenarrative generative mechanisms, or spirals, help us understand the interconnectivities of “real” and “actual” domains of reality (Bhaskar, 1975; Boje, 2016). Socially irresponsible capitalism is pulling global societies into a downward spiral toward an addiction of speculative destruction and dehumanization, transforming “real” into “actual” realities. We need a force to pull us back up toward a revitalized form of socially responsible capitalism. This force is called the socio-economic approach to management (SEAM), and in the responsible entrepreneurial spirit of earlier epochs, the path to recovery can be accomplished by accountably working with one organization or entity at a time.

This chapter first investigates the historical double-spiral-helix footsteps of socially irresponsible capitalism in the making. Then through a SEAM project example, we discuss how the micro-societal perspective of an organization places it at a deeper level of reality, deeper within the double-spiral-helix meta-reality of macro-societal capitalism. Finally, we demonstrate how the socioeconomic approach can help diagnose the deeper realities with an organization, beyond the evident narratives, to reveal the third spiral of deficiencies. This third spiral disenables the organization’s ability to activate the micro forces of socially responsible capitalism.

The purpose of this paper is to explore an expanding venture capital (VC) system beyond economic capital concept, based on “triple bottom line” of enterprises.

A complete VC system is given, first of all, and then the gap in the existing VC system is explored. To develop a VC system, the gaps must be filled based on a university‐government‐industry triple helix. Since corporate value view has been changed from one‐dimensional to three‐dimensional, social as well as cultural, and humanistic elements must be considered in a broader VC system. The approaches include developing social capital, cultural capital and promoting risk awareness.

The VC system in a country/region consists of economic and non‐economic capital investment. Both play important roles in parallel. Social and cultural capital investment will work as “soft capital” to remit the gaps from an insufficient economic capital system.

The policy implication of this paper is that policy makers may give more thought to developing non‐economic capital to fill the VC gaps in either an existing or an expanding VC system.