Academic entrepreneurial intentions in science and engineering: validation of the scale in Turkey

Abstract

Academic entrepreneurship is defined as entrepreneurial activities engaged by faculty in order to commercialize research results and deliver societal and economic benefits. It is closely related to the "Entrepreneurial University" which extends the mission of universities beyond teaching and research. Higher education institutions and their affiliated faculty members in sciences and engineering disciplines are important actors of innovation ecosystems. This study investigates academic entrepreneurial intentions distinguished by soft level intentions (industry collaboration) and hard level intentions (spin-off formation). The data was collected between December 2015, and March 2016 from a national online survey of Turkish academics in science and engineering faculties at approximately 90 universities of which 402 full responses were gathered. Major methodology included multivariate analysis technique namely as Structural Equation Modelling. Within the scope of this study, the constructs of academic entrepreneurship intentions were created and applied comprehensively in sciences and engineering disciplines in Turkey for the first time.