Teachers, researchers, but not innovators? Rethinking university-industry collaboration

LUNDBERG, H and ÖBERG, C (2021). Teachers, researchers, but not innovators? Rethinking university-industry collaboration. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 36 (13), 161-173.

Preview

PDF 10-1108_JBIM-03-2020-0126.pdf - Published Version Creative Commons Attribution. Download (397kB) | Preview

Abstract

Purpose: Universities, when collaborating with industry, are generally assumed to be the motors for innovation. Inspired by a case on a university’s collaboration with small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a regional strategic network (RSN), this paper aims to put forth how the university makes important contributions through transferring knowledge on innovation processes that is a teaching role, rather than sees itself as the party producing innovations. This paper describes and discusses the university’s teaching role and its consequences in university-industry collaborations for innovation. Design/methodology/approach: Empirically, the paper departs from a mid-Swedish RSN where nine SMEs started to work with a university. Interviews with representatives of the nine SMEs participating in the innovation project, along with university and RSN representatives, comprise the main data source. The paper analyzes the university’s teaching role and the consequences of it. Findings: Findings point at how the SMEs developed structured innovation processes, improved their market intelligence and increased their efficiency in providing new solutions. The university facilitated knowledge, while the SMEs responded through creating knowledge both on how to innovate and in terms of innovations. Originality/value: The teaching role, which would mean that the university stays with one of its core functions, indicates a need to rethink university-industry collaboration related to expectations and role division. Moving from producing innovations to facilitating knowledge on how to innovate, would, for universities, mean that they minimize those conflicts emerging from their various roles and indicate that the production of innovation is placed at those devoted to run and grow businesses.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Innovation; SME; University; University-industry collaboration; Regional strategic networks; Marketing; 1503 Business and Management; 1505 Marketing
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-03-2020-0126
Page Range:	161-173
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2022 14:09
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2022 14:15
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29598

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads

Publication Metrics