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Aligning university–industry interactions: The role of boundary spanning in intellectual capital transfer

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  • Chau, Vinh Sum
  • Gilman, Mark
  • Serbanica, Cristina

Abstract

In the UK, the boundary spanning role has taken on greater significance as successive governments emphasize how universities should play in direct knowledge transfer and changing academics' visions over third mission functions. Studies in the UK have focused on the relative performance of technology transfer organizations (TTOs)/knowledge transfer organizations (KTOs) or their use by academics and external organizations. Compared to their US and international counterparts, TTOs/KTOs at UK universities exhibit low-levels of absolute efficiency. Therefore questions remain relating to how to raise the efficiency and productivity of these units, how to attract and train staff with suitable qualifications/capabilities and how to change adverse attitudes towards knowledge exchange by some academics. Currently, there is a lack of a holistic view of these functions and the way they complement each other or coordinate their activities. This study addresses this gap in theory and practise and advances how universities should provide consistency in both the internal and the external interfaces, by the offer of a framework and key stakeholder insights.

Suggested Citation

  • Chau, Vinh Sum & Gilman, Mark & Serbanica, Cristina, 2017. "Aligning university–industry interactions: The role of boundary spanning in intellectual capital transfer," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 199-209.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:123:y:2017:i:c:p:199-209
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2016.03.013
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    7. Carla Mascarenhas & Carla Marques & João J. Ferreira & Anderson Galvão, 2022. "University-Industry Collaboration in a Cross-Border Iberian Regions," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 45(4), pages 444-471, July.
    8. Rossi, Federica & Caloffi, Annalisa & Colovic, Ana & Russo, Margherita, 2022. "New business models for public innovation intermediaries supporting emerging innovation systems: The case of the Internet of Things," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    9. Nsanzumuhire, Silas U. & Groot, Wim & Cabus, Sofie J. & Bizimana, Benjamin, 2021. "Understanding the extent and nature of academia-industry interactions in Rwanda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    10. Ziyuan Sun & Man Wang & Weiwei Zhang & Yanli Li & Dan Wang & Feng Dong, 2019. "How Can We Improve the Transformation Success Rate of Research Results in the Pharmaceutical Industry? The Game Theoretic Model of Technology Transfer Subjects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-30, May.
    11. Pohle, Anna & Villani, Elisa & Grimaldi, Rosa, 2022. "Personnel motivation in knowledge transfer offices: The role of university-level and organizational-level antecedents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    12. Lee, Gyumin & Lee, Sungjun & Lee, Changyong, 2023. "Inventor–licensee matchmaking for university technology licensing: A fastText approach," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    13. Borrás, Susana & Gerli, Francesco & Cenzato, Rebecca, 2024. "Technology transfer offices in the diffusion of transformative innovation: Rethinking roles, resources, and capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    14. Hua Cheng & Zhiying Zhang & Qing Huang & Zhongju Liao, 2020. "The effect of university–industry collaboration policy on universities’ knowledge innovation and achievements transformation: based on innovation chain," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 522-543, April.
    15. Zhu, Lin & Cunningham, Scott W., 2022. "Unveiling the knowledge structure of technological forecasting and social change (1969–2020) through an NMF-based hierarchical topic model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    16. Samira Yusef Araújo Falani Bezerra & Ana Lúcia Vitale Torkomian, 2024. "Technology Transfer Offices: a Systematic Review of the Literature and Future Perspective," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 4455-4488, March.
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