The importance of interpersonal and social factors in university?industry collaboration

University?industry collaboration has gained in importance and been the subject of much research during recent decades. When it comes to factors that influence the success of collaborations such as these, the literature focuses mainly on resources, objectives, structure, flexibility, political environment or geographic distance. The social and interpersonal facets of these collaborations are often seen only as side aspects. In the course of this study, we reviewed the relevant literature regarding university?industry collaboration and examined the social and interpersonal factors that might influence success. We investigated peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2000 and 2016 in the English language. Our results indicate that communication, trust, commitment and culture are the most relevant factors in this regard and need to be considered carefully. These factors are important at all levels, from ordinary staff members to leadership and management. The participating partners and individuals are well advised to be aware of cultural differences between universities and industry and must handle dissimilarities and challenges adequately, because good social and interpersonal relationships are necessary for a successful partnership.