Success variables in science and technology parks

Science and technology parks are of great importance in the business context of the region in which they carry out their activity. They are the main mechanisms of public and private initiatives for the promotion of research, development and innovation, and technology transfer. The main goal of this type of institutions is not a purely economic benefit, but also social and cultural, which makes them an appropriate investment from the public institutions' viewpoint. They promote the creation of companies and agreements with universities and research centers, generate employment, and attract technology-based companies. Therefore, they require in-detail assessment to understand their operation to generate action plans and models that new parks or those who are still in their initial growth phase may follow. This study establishes a series of models or operation strategies to identify the strategies of successful parks; that is, parks that have overcome the initial stage and handle high revenue volumes, high rates of land occupation, and a large number of employees. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.