New, technology-based firms in innovation networks symplectic and generative impacts

The traditional body of research on new, technology-based firms reflects the linear sequential view of the technological innovation process. The 'modern' innovation theory views the innovation process as a complex, iterative process, that is essentially systemic in character. The systemic view of the technological innovation process largely remains to be implemented in research on new, technology-based firms. The present study represents an attempt to bridge this gap, by applying a systemic approach to research on new, technology-based firms. The empirical part of the present study develops and empirically tests a model that classifies new, technology-based firms into science-based firms and engineering-based firms. The two categories are defined in terms of the functional relationship between the new, technology-based firm and the articulation process of basic technologies. In the model, new, technology-based firms are analyzed in terms of the systemic knowledge conversion process to which they are attached. The model receives support in three empirical databases, compiled among new, technology-based firms in Finland, the United Kingdom, and Silicon Valley. The analysis of the Silicon Valley database is the first ever systematic survey of the spin-off firms of Stanford University. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.