Entrepreneurs in Knowledge Hubs - A Case Study of a Swedish Knowledge Hub
(2025) BUSN09 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Entrepreneurship plays an important role in enhancing economic growth, innovation, and social development. Although entrepreneurial success is often linked to individual initiative and risk-taking, knowledge management and networking are recognized as critical components for fostering successful entrepreneurial ventures. The contribution of knowledge hubs in facilitating these elements remains unexplored, although governments continue to invest in these types of organizations. By conducting a single case study of a knowledge hub based in Malmö, Sweden, namely Media Evolution, this research analyzes the contribution of these hubs in shaping knowledge-sharing processes and network development. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews... (More)
- Entrepreneurship plays an important role in enhancing economic growth, innovation, and social development. Although entrepreneurial success is often linked to individual initiative and risk-taking, knowledge management and networking are recognized as critical components for fostering successful entrepreneurial ventures. The contribution of knowledge hubs in facilitating these elements remains unexplored, although governments continue to invest in these types of organizations. By conducting a single case study of a knowledge hub based in Malmö, Sweden, namely Media Evolution, this research analyzes the contribution of these hubs in shaping knowledge-sharing processes and network development. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted with two groups of stakeholders, namely representatives of the hub and affiliated entrepreneurs, to uncover the factors affected by knowledge hubs.
The findings of this research suggest that knowledge hubs can significantly support entrepreneurs’ knowledge sharing by improving absorptive capacity, increasing motivation to teach and learn, reducing power asymmetry, enhancing trust, facilitating informal social connections, defining characteristics of the knowledge shared, and affecting the venture’s culture. Similarly, entrepreneurs benefit from the intermediary role of KHs in catalyzing networking activity, setting up the entrepreneurial network structure, and amplifying their access to social capital. Additionally, it was revealed that knowledge hubs have a positive effect on the well-being and sense of belongingness of entrepreneurs.
The study contributes to the academic field by providing an understanding of how knowledge hubs contribute to the factors in the fields of knowledge sharing and networking. For policymakers, the study will inform funding strategies and institutional designs intended to support regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. For knowledge hubs, it offers guidance on designing initiatives that improve knowledge exchange and foster networks. Lastly, for entrepreneurs, it provides an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether joining a knowledge hub is valuable. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9194479
- author
- Cioban, Ivan LU and Luis Zhang, Daniel LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN09 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Entrepreneurship, Knowledge Hubs, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Sharing, Networking, Entrepreneurs’ Well-being
- language
- English
- id
- 9194479
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-19 13:35:02
- date last changed
- 2025-06-19 13:35:02
@misc{9194479,
abstract = {{Entrepreneurship plays an important role in enhancing economic growth, innovation, and social development. Although entrepreneurial success is often linked to individual initiative and risk-taking, knowledge management and networking are recognized as critical components for fostering successful entrepreneurial ventures. The contribution of knowledge hubs in facilitating these elements remains unexplored, although governments continue to invest in these types of organizations. By conducting a single case study of a knowledge hub based in Malmö, Sweden, namely Media Evolution, this research analyzes the contribution of these hubs in shaping knowledge-sharing processes and network development. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted with two groups of stakeholders, namely representatives of the hub and affiliated entrepreneurs, to uncover the factors affected by knowledge hubs.
The findings of this research suggest that knowledge hubs can significantly support entrepreneurs’ knowledge sharing by improving absorptive capacity, increasing motivation to teach and learn, reducing power asymmetry, enhancing trust, facilitating informal social connections, defining characteristics of the knowledge shared, and affecting the venture’s culture. Similarly, entrepreneurs benefit from the intermediary role of KHs in catalyzing networking activity, setting up the entrepreneurial network structure, and amplifying their access to social capital. Additionally, it was revealed that knowledge hubs have a positive effect on the well-being and sense of belongingness of entrepreneurs.
The study contributes to the academic field by providing an understanding of how knowledge hubs contribute to the factors in the fields of knowledge sharing and networking. For policymakers, the study will inform funding strategies and institutional designs intended to support regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. For knowledge hubs, it offers guidance on designing initiatives that improve knowledge exchange and foster networks. Lastly, for entrepreneurs, it provides an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether joining a knowledge hub is valuable.}},
author = {{Cioban, Ivan and Luis Zhang, Daniel}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Entrepreneurs in Knowledge Hubs - A Case Study of a Swedish Knowledge Hub}},
year = {{2025}},
}