Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation through business incubators: a comparative analysis of the role of European business and innovation centres

Abstract

Interventions aimed at creating an environment in which businesses can flourish are a central element of public policies (supranational, national, regional and sub-regional/local) concerned with promoting enterprise and entrepreneurship, supporting indigenous industry and fostering regional economic competitiveness. Customarily policies concerned with improving the business environment have been of two types; those concerned with the improvement of the interactions of government with enterprises in terns of regulations, administrative procedures and taxation, and those concerned with the direct provision of various forms of business support such as business incubation. This research explores the rationale for the provision of business support, specifically business incubation as practised by European Business Innovation Centres, and investigates the degree and extent to which their activities impacts the performance of assisted businesses.