Exploratory study of strategic visionary management of innovation, research and technology parks affiliated with universities

Abstract

There are substantial literature reviews on Research and Technology Parks’ (RTPs) governance model and the measurement of its performance and growth rate. However, only limited studies have been conducted on RTPs in Middle Eastern Countries, and there is a paucity of literature on the case of RTPs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Nevertheless, no research has investigated the relationship between the RTP’s governance model and its performance and growth. Therefore, this thesis aims to empirically test the relationship between RTPs’ governance and strategic model and RTPs’ growth performances by examining the performance improvement of RTPs affiliated with universities. The thesis investigates key questions regarding the RTP’s strategic visionary management model in the context of KSA by adopting Cabral-Dahab science parks management paradigm, Triple-helix theory, and the literature review on the measurement of RTPs’ performance and evaluation of growth rate:
1) Is there a correlation between RTPs’ governance and the growth rate and performance of the park?
2) What are the different strategies and business management models adopted by successful RTPs?

By utilising a pragmatic research philosophy using the mixed-methods approach to test the relationship between the governance model and its performance and growth rate using questionnaires. In addition to multiple cases studies strategy from three RTPs in the KSA and adopting semi-structured interviews with main stakeholders of the RTPs such as 1) RTPs’ CEOs, 2) RTP’s tenants’ firms, 3) entrepreneurs and 4)
Policymakers, the thesis explores how the RTPs’ governance models satisfy the strategic visionary management of the parks and increased the performance growth rate of the parks by benchmarking the case studies with international RTPs to identify the combination of the different successful business and strategic models. It then proposed a new customised strategic management model for the primary case study RTPKEID and listed the expected benefits for RTPKEID of adopting the new model.

The thesis presents seven main findings: First, it presents how the governance of quality of services provided to tenants’ firms in RTPs vary based on RTP’s governance model, showing that the Triple-helix and non-profit governance models are the top in providing the tenants’ firms located on-park with high-quality services due to the flexible governance and autonomy of these two models.

Second, it benchmarks international RTPs in the aspects of a) Governance model, b) Commercialisation, c) Performance measurement, and d) Entrepreneurship. The findings of each aspect vary based on the RTP’s governance model; for example, the governance model of the company with the ‘Triple-helix’ RTP is the most flexible and adaptable to change due to the variety of stakeholders with shared goals. On the other hand, the performance measurement in ‘company with capital share’ and ‘non-profit’ RTPs are significantly stronger than the other RTPs since ‘company with capital share’ RTP concentrates on the financial impact, while ‘non-profit’ concentrates on providing an impact on the local/regional economy. Third, it analyses the relationship between the RTPs’ governance models and performance and growth rate of the RTPs among the six identified governance models and shows that the RTP with highest performance and growth rate goes to RTPs with flexible management and governance policies, such as ‘Triple-helix’ and ‘non-profit’.

Fourth, it develops a strategic visionary management model of RTPKIED innovation and economic development department.
Fifth, it proven that the closer the linkage between the universities with RTPs, the highly impacted RTP’s strategy with the associated university’s strategy, such as: quality of tenants' firms’ services, value proposition /attraction to tenants' firms, commercialisation, funding sources, globalisation, stakeholders, financial performance, complexity of changes in governance /management models, complexity of research confidentiality, entrepreneurship.

Sixth, it set the basis for the National-level of RTPs’ governance model and RTPs’ performance measurement in the KSA and proposed national the funding model for the KSA will boost the Saudi economy.

Finally, the findings show that despite the general agreement on the consortium governance model, it is difficult to change the governance model to a legal format.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Jonathan Klein: orcid.org/0000-0002-5495-8738

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