Identification and prioritization of barriers to the development of academics’ spin-off companies

The purpose of this research was to identify and prioritize the barriers to the development of academics’ spin-off companies by using a mixed method in Kermanshah province. In the qualitative stage, using a grounded theory, a sample of 13 people consisting of managers of the academics’ spin-off companies and Kermanshah specialists. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. To increase the internal validity of the research, the results and the extracted model, were evaluated through a sample of 100 experts. The result of this section has led to the elimination of some concepts and changes in the classification of others. Using Charmaz's constructive approach, the research results identified and prioritized nine barriers in development of academics’ spin-off companies. The most important barriers included weaknesses in marketing plan and market development, lack of investment and financial resources, weaknesses in infrastructure and legal and support infrastructure, lack of adequate support from support groups, teamwork and management weaknesses, miscalculating economic estimates, inconsistencies with technological changes, weakness in entrepreneurial personality traits, and weakness of consulting and training services. Finally, solutions were proposed for elimination and correction of barriers.