Abstract
Micro-companies play an extremely important role in the economy being the main driver of economic growth. They contribute decisively for employability, business innovation and in reducing social asymmetries. This role of micro-companies in particular and, small and medium enterprises in general, is widely recognised in the literature. Nevertheless, the number of longitudinal studies that explicitly address the contribution of micro-companies to the European economy is reduced, and most of them are essentially reports produced by European and national agencies that analyse the importance of this phenomenon in their economies. This study intends to characterise the birth, death and survival rate of micro-companies in the European Union. The study adopts a quantitative and statistical approach in data analysis between 2008 and 2016, which allows us to characterise the evolution of these indicators and to understand which countries have the best and the worst performances.

Abstract

Abstract
The literature reveals that science parks offer numerous benefits and support services to the activity of a technological startup. However, the decision of choosing the best science park for the startup tends to be an informal process, technically not very rigorous and planning, arising essentially by affinities with the research centre and university. In this study, a decision support system is presented to support entrepreneurs in the process of selecting a science park for the implementation of their startup. The AHP method is used to compare the importance of the criteria for selecting a science park, which includes factors such as location, activity sector, infrastructure, cost, and size. The findings reveal that the use of this decision support system helps entrepreneurs to find a science park that is suitable for the needs of their startup and allows them to comparatively identify the most relevant criteria when choosing a science park. © 2024 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Abstract
Non-formal education seeks to address the limitations of formal education that do not reach all communities and do not provide all new competencies and capabilities that are essential for the integrated development of communities. The role of non-formal education becomes even more relevant in the context of developing countries where significant asymmetries in access to education emerge. This study adopts the Solutions Story Tracker provided by the Solutions Journalism Network to identify and explore solutions based on journalism stories in the non-formal education field. A total of 256 stories are identified and categorized into 14 dimensions. The findings reveal that practical, participatory, and volunteering dimensions are the three most common dimensions in these non-formal education initiatives. Furthermore, two emerging dimensions related to empowerment and sustainability are identified, allowing us to extend the theoretical knowledge in the non-formal education field. These conclusions are relevant for establishing public policies that can involve greater participation by local communities in non-formal education and for addressing sustainability challenges through bottom-up initiatives. © The Author(s) 2024.

Abstract
The adoption of open innovation poses significant challenges that are important to explore. Studies in this field have mainly focused on exploring the causes of the failure of open innovation among large companies. This study addresses this research gap by employing a sample of 297 Portuguese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore, through a quantitative study, whether the dimensions and causes of failure differ between large organizations and SMEs. A total of seven dimensions of causes of failure are considered, including strategy-related, organizational structure, organizational culture, knowledge and intellectual property management, management skill and action, resources, and interfirm collaboration. The findings reveal significant differences in four of these seven dimensions: the main causes of failure are related to the resources and management processes of open innovation in SMEs, while large companies face more challenges in the organizational structure and culture components. This study offers theoretical insights into the gaps in the literature to better understand the challenges facing open innovation. Furthermore, this study offers practical guidelines for SMEs to identify and mitigate these main obstacles, promoting better innovation management practices.

Abstract
This study explores the contribution of serious game teaching technology, such as FLIGBY, to the development of entrepreneurial learning outcomes in the context of an entrepreneurship course in higher education. The sample is composed of 551 students through the construction of a randomized pretest-posttest control group. A quantitative methodology is adopted through the development of a structured equation model that seeks to assess the effectiveness of FLIGBY in the development of three constructs related to the development of entrepreneurial skills, reduction in the perception of barriers associated with entrepreneurial activity and increase the entrepreneurial intention. The findings reveal that FLIGBY can effectively contribute to the development of the first two constructs. However, we found that it has no effect on the third construct because it was not possible to identify significant differences in the entrepreneurial intention of FLIGBY students with those of the control group. The results of this study are relevant in extending the understanding of the impact of adopting a serious game in the context of entrepreneurship education and also supports their role in the development of more immersive and student-centered training.