Exploring entrepreneur intermediary interactions regarding user orientation evidence from Living labs as a service projects
Innovation intermediaries are confronted with different entrepreneurial types. Academic attention on the interactions between entrepreneurs and innovation intermediaries is limited. Four entrepreneurial types are discussed throughout this paper. These are based on the source of the entrepreneurial idea (Shah Tripsas, 2007) and the (prime) motivation for entrepreneurial activities (Block, Sandner Spiegel, 2015) enduser entrepreneurs, professional user entrepreneurs, classic (opportunity driven) entrepreneurs and forced entrepreneurs. Further, this paper proposes a conceptual entrepreneur intermediary interaction process model, facilitating knowledge transfer, with 5 stages: alignment, learning activities, interpretation, sense making and implementation. The process model is explored by means of a multi dimensional case study of 8 projects with distinct entrepreneurial types. Evidence is sourced from the context of a Living Lab as a Service organization. The paper contributes to the understanding of entrepreneur intermediary interactions in general, and interactions through Living Labs as a Service in particular.