FROM IVORY TOWER TO MARKETPLACE: CORPORATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND UNIVERSITY SPIN-OFFS IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA

Universities across the globe are increasingly expected to transcend their traditional roles of teaching and research to become active drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. This study examines the effect of corporate entrepreneurship on university spin-offs in South-East Nigeria, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of university–industry collaboration. Anchored on the Resource-Based View and Corporate Entrepreneurship Theory, the study adopts a quantitative research design. Data were collected from academic staff and industry professionals across six public universities in South-East Nigeria using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. A sample size of 417 respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that corporate entrepreneurship has a significant positive effect on university spin-offs and university–industry collaboration. University–industry collaboration was also found to partially mediate the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and university spin-offs. The study concludes that corporate entrepreneurship is a strategic mechanism for enhancing knowledge commercialization in Nigerian universities. The study recommends the institutionalisation of entrepreneurial structures, incentive systems, and strong industry linkages to accelerate the transition of universities from the ivory tower to the marketplace