Technopark organizational and economic structures: classification and features

Abstract

The paper focuses on the classification of technopark structures, analysis of their features, goals and objectives of creation. The authors reviewed the literature, which made it possible to identify two classification directions: 1) some authors note multiplicity of the technopark structures evolutionary forms and highlight business incubator, technopark, technopolis and science and technology region; 2) other researchers also denote the variety of technopark structures, but they are of the opinion that there are only three types, namely business incubator, technopark and technopolis. We will adhere to the opinion that technopark organizational and economic structures, in terms of increasing complexity, include: • business incubators; • technology parks; • technopolises; • science and technology regions. The analysis of the definitions of technopark activity allowed us to identify main structural and functional elements, modifications, similarities and differences of technopark structures. The authors revealed that the following common features are characteristic of technopark structures. They: are objects of innovation infrastructure; are created to support innovative organizations by providing them with material, technical, informational, financial and social base; increase client companies' resilience under market conditions; are market structures, the end result of their activities is obtaining a commercial product by introducing technologies and creating new types of production; create positive externalities for the region (city, country) help in new jobs creation, increase investment attractiveness of the territory. Technopark structures specificities may be considered in terms of the legal entity status, spatial and territorial boundaries, stage of the 'research-production' cycle, presence of innovative activities and residents life cycle. Despite these features, technopark structures have a unified strategic space, i.e. promoting business development, providing additional jobs in the territories of their location, increasing competitiveness of the economy, which, ultimately, determines their prospects and popularity as a key element of innovation infrastructure and a motor of territorial development.