CONTENTS
Chapter 1. An Overview of Business Incubators = 7
Introduction = 7
Linkages with the local economy = 8
The impact of business incubators = 9
Evaluating business incubators = 11
Considering the economic rationale for public investment in incubators = 12
Technology incubators = 14
Key operational issues = 16
Concluding remarks = 19
Notes = 20
Bibliography = 21
Biographical Information on the Authors of the Country Papers = 23
Australia = 23
Germany = 23
United Kingdom and Italy = 23
United States = 23
Chapter 2. Business Incubation in Australia = 25
Introduction = 25
What business incubation means in Australia = 25
Small business in Australia = 26
Government support and business incubators = 26
Types of incubator in Australia = 27
A national look at incubators = 28
A guide to best practice = 39
Policy plays = 40
Bibliography = 45
Other Information Sources = 47
Chapter 3. Business Incubation in Germany = 49
National overview = 49
The organization of incubators = 52
Characteristics of the tenant companies = 60
Assessment of impact = 61
Conclusions and outlook = 68
Bibliography = 71
Chapter 4. Business Incubators in Italy = 73
Summary, evaluation and conclusions = 73
What is SPI? = 82
SPI's BICs and CISIs = 85
The development of BICs and CISIs in Italy = 89
A national network = 107
Constraints and problems = 109
Chapter 5. Business Incubation in the United Kingdom = 115
Introduction = 115
Business incubation in the United Kingdom = 117
How the United Kingdom's SME policies developed = 121
The experience of British Steel(Industry) Ltd. = 127
BICs, technology transfer and property development = 137
Bibliography = 147
Chapter 6. Business Incubation in the United States = 149
Introduction = 149
Overview of the industry = 151
Impact assessment = 158
Best practices = 160
Mistakes made, lessons learned = 163
Strategic issues for the industry = 165
Conclusion = 168
Notes = 168
Annex 1. Business Incubation Profiles = 169
Annex 2. Principles and Practices of Successful Business Incubation = 173
Bibliography = 175