Det viktiga mötet
En studie av intern interaktion i företagsinkubatorer
Entrepreneurship is considered essential for the Swedish economy, as well as globally. Accordingly,massive efforts are put into creating environments that successfully can support new ventures. The business incubator is a prominent part of these efforts and is important especially for the knowledge shared within its internal network. The aim of this study is to further explore how different activitieswithin the incubator can influence the interaction, and thereby the construction of social capital,among the incubatees. Using a qualitative case study of three incubators, and the framework of theincubator model, it is concluded that three distinguishing components within the framework influence the interaction, namely infrastructure, mediation and business support. These components also influence the key drivers of inter-organizational exchange in terms of expected re-payment and expected utility, both of which are influenced by the inter-organizational interaction. Further, the observed differences in the incubators and the reasons for them are explored upon to show theimpact of different activities on the interaction. A framework for construction of social capital within incubators is then developed. Finally the implications are discussed in terms of how incubators can work strategically to encourage interaction and in turn the creation of social capital.