Public Support of Innovation in Entrepreneurial Firms

Public support for innovation, chiefly through government programs such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, has had a significant impact on fostering economic growth in the US. This collection synthesizes a decade of scholarship from Albert N. Link on the subject, specifically on small, technology-based entrepreneurial firms. Based on data collected by the National Research Council of the National Academies of the United States on projects funded through the SBIR program, these papers form a comprehensive foundation that will serve as a critical guide to the topic for both academics and policymakers. Divided into four main subjects - commercialization of new technology, employment growth, spillover benefits and policy - the essays tackle a number of critical issues in the field and offer insightful suggestions for future research and policy approaches. Students and scholars of business and management, public policy, economics, entrepreneurship and innovation studies will find this a useful and comprehensive resource, as will policymakers, entrepreneurs and business leaders.