Why are small public incubators "lagging behind"? Learning from disability in the selection practices of a French incubator

Inès Gabarret (1) , Annabelle Jaouen (2) , Walid A. Nakara (2) , Benjamin Vedel (3)

1 EDC Paris
2 MRM - Montpellier Research in Management
3 LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221

This research examines the selection practices used by a small public incubator (SPI) and its strategic implications. SPIs generally depend on small cities and often face difficulties due to a lack of resources and inadequate competitiveness in comparison with well-equipped and more reputed incubators. The selection of projects is the keystone in the development of these small structures. We develop a qualitative approach based on a single case study. Representatives from all the incubated projects were interviewed, as well as all the managers and we performed a thematic analysis of the discourses. The in-depth study of the selection practices and the project portfolio reveals a paradox regarding the incubator’s strategic positioning objectives and the availability of resources. We conclude by discussing the strategic positioning of SPIs regarding in-house resources and the selection practices.

Mots clés: resources; entrepreneur; paradox; strategic positioning; small public incubator; SPI; selection practices; entrepreneurial support

Domaines: Gestion et management

Inès Gabarret, Annabelle Jaouen, Walid A. Nakara, Benjamin Vedel. Why are small public incubators "lagging behind"? Learning from disability in the selection practices of a French incubator. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2014, 23 (4), ⟨10.1504/IJESB.2014.065679⟩. ⟨hal-01886228⟩