Towards a New Perspective on the Heterogeneity of Business Incubator-Incubation Definitions

The term “business incubator” (BI) has become an accepted neologism among academics, practitioners, and policymakers. This is despite the lack of an agreed definition amongst scholars of what exactly constitutes a BI. Using a systematic literature review methodology, we identify and analyze definitions of BIs used in published academic research papers and practice papers over a 35-year period. In this article, we undertake a thematic analysis, using the software package NVivo, of 82 academic and 14 practice definitions used in 61 publications. Our analysis shows that definitions of BIs are constructed around three core themes: the business incubation model; the purpose of the incubator; and the target of support provided by the incubator. By identifying both consistencies and inconsistencies in existing definitions, we provide a more nuanced understanding of the heterogeneity that underlies the organizational form referred to as a BI. We conclude by proposing an agenda for further research.