Entrepreneurial architecture—A comparison among Europe, United States and Latin America universities

Abstract

A cornerstone for economic growth, universities have been impelled to the entrepreneurial turn to transform their knowledge into innovations and new ventures. A common strategy from university managers is to rely on the best practices and benchmarks of entrepreneurial universities. However, universities are heterogeneous and context-dependent, thus requiring an in-depth understanding of their missions, structural characteristics, and regional history, among other factors. Using the entrepreneurial architecture approach, this paper presents space and place differences from universities in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Data was collected from 41 leaders from universities worldwide and analyzed through lexicometry methods. Results indicate how heterogeneity implies distinct organizational structures in universities, such as in strategy making, science commercialization culture, and the role of Technology Transfer Offices.