Technology centres and science parks: agents or competence centres for small businesses?

In the study reported here the Institute for Applied Innovation Research (IAI) has investigated the role of technology centres and science parks in the transfer process between the research and education sector and small businesses, as well as the importance attached to these institutions by its target population. An attempt has been made to answer questions about the conditions in which these institutions operate, the ways in which they perceive themselves, and the extent to which their support policies meet the requirements of a small business. Despite the fact that small firms are crucially dependent on information provision through external sources and that technology centres claim to be able to bridge the (information) gaps experienced by small businesses, they cannot adequately fulfill this role. On the other hand, small businesses give a very detailed picture of the services they need. They expect concrete support measures from technology centres in the area of joint ventures and particularly in te...