Social Capital in the University-Based Innovation Ecosystems in the Leading Life-Science Clusters: Implications for Poland

This publication is a scientific monograph in English

This monograph contributes to the emerging debate on the topic of innovation ecosystems by delivering new insights into and knowledge of the role of social capital, social networks and collaborative social environments in the successful life sciences innovation ecosystems. The authors applied a qualitative interview and direct observation methods which allowed to better understand the complex nature of the life sciences university ecosystem and more importantly, the process of social networking within it. The research study covered several well-established life sciences university-based ecosystems in the European Union and the United States. For the purpose of comparison, the study also considers Poland’s emerging life sciences sector. It is expected that the research findings, along with the recombination of the relevant subject literature and other collected empirical evidence, will make it possible to contribute to the development of strategies and policy measures to further unlock the innovation potential of the emerging life sciences sector in Poland.

Contributors

Prof. Małgorzata Runiewicz-Wardyn, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at Kozminski University, Faculty of Economics and Transformation, Integration and Globalization Economic Research Center. Her main scientific and research interests include: knowledge-based economy; regional innovation systems; technological dynamics and industry cluster activity; regional R&D and innovation policies. She was a Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow at the Center of European Studies of Harvard University (2007 and 2011), Institute of Urban and Regional Development at Berkeley University of California (2008), the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management of the Université libre de Bruxelles (2014). She is the author of 6 monographs, the editor of two published books and over 40 other scientific publications; the coordinator and co-author of 6 European Commission’s research projects on the impact of knowledge economy on the socio-economic development and competitiveness of EU regions.

Prof. Zbigniew Bochniarz, Ph.D., is an Affiliated Professor at Kozminski University in Warsaw (2016) and at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington in Seattle (2007). He is also an affiliate faculty of the Microeconomics of Competitiveness program at Harvard Business School (2005) and trustee of World Academy of Art and Science. Earlier, he was a visiting professor and senior fellow at Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota for over 22 years. Prof. Bochniarz founded there the Center for Nations in Transition, which facilitated transformation processes in many Central and Eastern European countries. University of Miskolc in Hungary granted him doctorate Honoris Causa in 2005. His teaching and research focus on competitiveness, clustering, human and social capital, strategies for sustainable development, and sustainability of transformation. Results of his research are presented in over 100 publications on three continents in 12 languages and at the large number of scientific conferences worldwide.

Dr. Barbara Kozierkiewicz, Ph.D., is a Doctor of Economics (Kozminski University), for many years associated with the Polish and global R&D biopharmaceutical sector holding managerial positions in global R&D biopharma business. Her scientific interests and publications are related to various aspects of management in the life sciences sector. Convinced that close cooperation between the scientific community and business is the only way to develop innovation and that the possibilities and benefits of developing such cooperation in Poland cannot be overestimated.