The Triple Helix Model: Factors influencing SMEs' Innovation Activities in Selected EU Countries

Abstract

Universities, industries and governments collaborations have increasingly become a fundamental component of the efficient national and regional innovation systems. Successful innovation collaborations are vital because it enables the actors to gain knowledge, new technologies and other resources needed to stimulate and accelerate their innovation performances and activities. Universities have a compelling role in driving economic growth through their research, teaching and manpower training. Universities have enlarged their entrepreneurial activities in many dimensions, including collaborating with industries in research commercialization, patenting and licensing, wealth creation, contributing to employment and promoting university spin-offs. Despite the numerous advantages this collaboration offers, not all countries, universities and industries have embraced these kinds of R&D collaborations. This thesis seeks to investigate the factors that influence universities industries and governments collaborations in the European Union and in tandem offer the best practices and measures taken in countries where these innovation collaborations are successful so that these measures can serve as a guide to universities and industries managements and policy makers.