1. Academic Entrepreneurship: career transformation through the practice of entrepreneurial identity Dr Lorraine Warren, University of Southampton Presented at Newcastle University, November 2007

2. Overview  Case study  Mature PhD student (engineering) engaged in spin-out processes  Involved in university spin-out, sets up own company in related field  Research tracks understanding and development of professional identity during this transitional time  Examines tensions entrepreneurial & engineering identity  Recommendations for support agencies

3. Why do engineers/scientists choose to become entrepreneurs?  Audretsch and Erdem (2004): little on scientists/engineers specifically  Fayolle (1994): best qualified engineers least likely  Chell and Allman (2003), Luthje and Francke (2003), Anderson and Chorev (2003): importance of contextual factors  Meyer (2003): a guise for research interests?  Dynamic between professional, academic, entrepreneurial identity not well understood

4. Case history  Born in Germany 1970  First degree Mechanical Engineering  PhD in UK, 1997-2001 automotive electrical systems  Late 2000, begins work for existing spin- out as R&D engineer and software developer  2004-5, Masters course in entrepreneurship/business venturing  Has now set up own company

5. USO: Challenges to career development  Academic: stasis or exodus (Pirnay et al (2003), Nicolaou and Birley (2003)/ but for a PhD student?  Self image important in terms of career decision (Baruch, 2004; Politis (2005)  Career as a ‘life journey’ (Baruch, 2004; Giddens, 1991; Goffman, 1959)  Crafting an entrepreneurial identity? (Down, 2006; Down and Reveley, 2004; Lounsbury & Glynn, 2001; Downing, 2005, Warren and Anderson, 2005)  Jens’s journey: research engineer -> entrepreneur in high tech milieu -> extent of identity work

6. Phases of activity

7. Overall  “I would never compromise my reputation as an engineer”  Good engineers can not only make something work, but understand why  Uniqueness of ideas  Elegance of ideas  For an academic engineer, publications

8. Joining A-Tech  “It’s not just a way of earning money; I had a job offer from [a large car company] while I was doing my PhD, but it wasn’t what I wanted. The company [USO] was the best technology available in the jobs I was offered; in any case, a spin-out company is prestigious – if it works!!”  Privileges engineering reputation over immediate financial gain

9. Working for A-Tech  Business as ‘nuisance value’  Healthy amount of prejudice to sales people  ??strategic marketing -> begins to craft a sense of self defined not just through technological expertise, but tuning technology into market growth

10. Developing through A-Tech and education  Different vocabularies and audiences and appropriate presentation of self in new settings  Networking “not a valuable use of time, meeting people selling me low-level services such as business cards”. ->presenting to IoD  Growing sense of entrepreneurial self

11. Founding his own company  “it’s not me yet – I’m still an engineer”.  I then asked him who his role models were: “early stage developers in high tech spin outs, putting good technology ideas into practice”.  Here John seems to be in the process of developing an enriched sense of engineering self-hood, with the elegance of solutions being extended from the laboratory into the market place. This manifests in two ways:  1) He is focussed not just on recognising the value of business knowledge but also on presenting the ‘right’ identity in business settings.  2) Most importantly of all is his maintenance of self as ‘cutting edge engineer’ and that spin-out activity is a legitimate dimension of engineering activity.  3) Engineering identity is not compromised by association with growth and market share.

12. Out on his own  “a totally different mindset” However:  “still thinks as an engineer”  An effective & efficient problem solver, less emphasis on technical expertise  Task is to establish legitimacy, “engineer to engineer”  Through track record and peer review

13. Conclusion  Significant amount of identity work going on  Elegance of engineering, no move towards heroic entrepreneurial stereotypes  Empowered vision of identity  Centrality of engineering identity and its enrichment through entrepreneurial practice  If he achieves sustainable growth, does he become ‘more entrepreneurial’?