Intl Conference on Economics, Finance & Business, Prague

INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY CHARACTERISTICS AND RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY

BARBARA GRABIŃSKA

Abstract:

Entrepreneurial university is a concept coined by Henry Etzkowitz in 1983. It stems from the evolution of the university role taking place with the advent of the knowledge- based economy. The responsibility of the university in the field of education and research has been extended to the so-called third mission, broadly understood as their contribution to economic and community development. The operational activities which characterized entrepreneurial universities can be divided into two broad categories: income diversification and external outreach (Clark, 1998). The spectrum of entrepreneurial activities is broad and diversified and it is logical to ask whether certain types of these activities are characteristic for particular type of higher education institution. After a few decades of research on entrepreneurial university, the idea is still relevant and even on increasing trend with publications on this theme more than tripled in the last ten years (Forliano C., De Bernardini P., Yahiaoui D., 2021). Higher education institutions around the world are operating under difficult circumstances of economic instability, are forced to compete for public funds with other priorities in government financial policy and face growing expectations from taxpayers to account for their contributions to the society and the economy. Although, the results of universities’ performance are diversified, research output is considered as vital, due to its potential consequences for sparking innovativeness in the economy and thus translating into economic growth. Measuring research productivity is not straightforward due to a multitude of factors engaged into the process of knowledge generation and often its intangible nature. The aim of the article is to answer the question whether research productivity is higher in institutions characterized as entrepreneurial universities. The study is conducted for higher education sector in Poland. Conclusions are vital for evidence-based policy regarding financing universities as well as for management of higher education institutions.

Keywords: research policy, academic productivity, entrepreneurial university, financing higher education

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