Bridging the gap: Industrial PhD supervisors as hidden architects of collaborative value

This study investigates the micro-foundations of university-industry collaborations (UIC) through the lens of industrial PhD supervisors in France, focusing on the CIFRE program. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyze a unique dataset of 24,365 CIFRE agreements and 6,209 supervisor profiles complemented by 23 semi-structured interviews. Our findings reveal that the supervisors' prior exposure to academia significantly influences their strategies for engaging with industrial PhDs and the types of value they derive. PhD graduates are more likely to specialize in repeat supervision, leveraging their academic networks to explore innovative research avenues and integrate knowledge into R&D departments. Conversely, non-PhDs often engage in supervision as a means to address specific organizational challenges or gain internal legitimacy. Communities of practice and organizational routines play a pivotal role in sustaining the impact of these collaborations beyond individual projects, facilitating knowledge transfer and organizational learning. This work extends the literature on absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer, and boundary spanners by highlighting the diverse pathways and outcomes of industrial supervisors in UICs. It also provides actionable insights for firms seeking to optimize the integration of academic research into their innovation ecosystems.