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Purpose-To explore the factors that affect the implementation of Internet technologies and to what extent the size of the company, as an organizational factor, influences that process. Design/methodology/approach-According to the innovation adoption theory, it was found that Internet adoption in firms is a process with different stages where a company is in one of a number of development stages depending on some variables related to organizational factors, such as the availability of technology resources, organizational structure, and managerial capabilities. The paper identified empirically different stages in the Internet adoption process and linked them with those factors. It analyzed questionnaire-based data from 280 companies, applying factor and clustering analysis. Findings-Four main groups of companies were found according to their stage in the adoption of Internet technologies. The paper established that, contrary to the literature suggestions, the size of the company does not have any effect on the availability of these Internet technologies but it does for managerial capabilities. The smaller the size of the firm, the greater the possibilities of using external advice in adopting Internet technologies, because small firms usually have fewer managerial capabilities. In the mean time, a more sophisticated technology development was identified in larger firms. Research limitations/implications-As in all empirical research, the characteristics of this study limit the applicability of the findings. First, the study concentrated in businesses that already were using Internet technologies, because they have registered their domain name. Consequently, the study firms that did not have a Spanish domain name were omitted; however, firms could have a ".com" or ".org" domain name and still be Spanish firms. Also, other companies without any domain name on the Internet were not included in the study. Second, the study applied a classification analysis with exploratory purposes about the characteristics of the business according to the cluster of pertinence. Nevertheless, a longitudinal study could be more useful explaining whether or not these companies follow the process described. Third, a more detailed questionnaire with more specific questions could be more helpful to gain a better description of the phases of a more sophisticated technology adoption (i.e. the acceptance/routinization and infusion stages). Practical implications-This paper has some relatively important managerial implications. First, the fact of having a domain name does not mean that the companies are in the acceptance/routinization phase and even less in the infusion phase. From this, the paper identified how the majority of firms were in the so-called initial stages of the Internet technologies adoption process. Second, it is possible that managers who do not perceive the strategic value of these technologies are managing the majority of these firms. Third, as more businesses implement these technologies in their processes, presumably more c...

To understand the role of University-focused Venture Capital firms (UVCs) in developing Entrepreneurial Universities. Design/methodology/approach We followed the approach of regional entrepreneurial university ecosystems and analysed interview data from twenty University Spin-Off companies (USOs) and knowledge intermediaries, including UVCs. Findings Based on regional, network, and knowledge spillover perspectives, our study reveals the emerging role of UVCs in sustaining dynamic relationships between universities and USOs in the ecosystem, thus developing the entrepreneurial nature. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory study that investigates the different ways of approaching academic entrepreneurship promotion involving UVCs and other knowledge intermediaries. The sample can be considered small, so a larger number of observations coming from more regions and countries might improve the generalization of its results. Practical implications Policymakers should bear in mind that UVCs can have a proactive role at the centre of an entrepreneurial university ecosystem. The identification of the ongoing interactions Technological Forecasting & Social Change 2 between USOs and UVCs have a significant role in reconnecting USOs with Universities, thus providing further opportunities for university IP commercialisation. Originality/value We explain a long cycle or boomerang effect, as a metaphoricial way of explaining how USOs keep their relationships with universities, by using UVCs support as strategic tool, long after they have started, which thus sustains the entrepreneurial university ecosystem over time.

The use of digital technologies has been recognized as one of the great challenges for businesses of the 21st century. This digitalization is characterized by the intensive use of information technologies in the different stages of the value chain of a sector. In this context, smart agriculture is transforming the agricultural sector in terms of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. In some countries, cooperatives, as the most common legal form of the incumbent companies, in this rather traditional low-intensive technology sector, are going to develop a relevant role in the process of adoption of these technologies. In this context, this paper provides, first, a review of the evolution of the main digital technologies, such as Internet of Things, robots, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and Blockchain, among others. Second, a description of the digital innovation process in agri-cooperatives in order to help them in the decision-making process, and third, a digital diagnosis tool for measuring cooperatives’ digital innovation. This tool is initially applied to two cases of agri-cooperatives in Spain. All of this contributes to a better understanding of digitalization of agri-cooperatives in the context of smart agriculture.

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