Title: The (needed?) market orientation of academic spin-off firms

Authors: Tindara Abbate; Fabrizio Cesaroni

Addresses: Department of Economics, University of Messina, Piazza Pugliatti, 1, 98122 Messina (ME), Italy ' Department of Economics, University of Messina, Piazza Pugliatti, 1, 98122 Messina (ME), Italy

Abstract: Academic spin-off firms are an important mechanism to transfer technological knowledge from university to industry, although they often show low growth and performance rates. This study analyses whether academic spin-offs adopting a market orientation benefit from superior economic and innovation performance. The empirical analysis is based on both quantitative survey data and in-depth interviews. Results show that the generation and dissemination of information about customers and competitors directly affect firms' ability to develop technological innovations and gain profits. Nevertheless, market orientation may generate inefficiencies when external technological conditions require firms to respond quickly to environmental stimuli.

Keywords: academic spin-off firms; ASOs; market orientation; technological turbulence; firm performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2017.085690

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2017 Vol.21 No.4/5, pp.395 - 421

Received: 04 Apr 2016
Accepted: 09 Sep 2016
Published online: 07 Aug 2017 *

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