Share:


Creation of a sustainable model for building and maintaining a relationship between universities and entrepreneurs

    Santa Zunda   Affiliation
    ; Artūrs Zeps   Affiliation
    ; Solvita Strode   Affiliation

Abstract

Purpose – the article aims to analyse the best practices in industry-university collaboration and based on theoretical background and practical experiences of universities to provide a framework for building a sustainable industry-university collaboration model, which indicates processes and steps as well as an example of Riga Technical University on how to create and maintain such collaboration. Research question – how to structure the activities for setting up the collaboration with industry based on the desired collaboration intensity. Hypothesis – universities can effectively organise collaboration with industry if they understand what the specific achievable results they want to achieve are.


Research methodology – based on literature analysis, best practice and problems analysis of universities and Riga Technical University case analysis of university-industry collaboration, a model for improving collaboration with industry is proposed.


Findings – to establish an effective and productive university-industry collaboration university must apply a structured approach of communication and collaboration of all internal parties involved in the process, what can be done by using the SADI Model for Building a Relationship between Universities and Entrepreneurs. For successful implementation of the university’s strategy of collaboration with industry-university must define the achievable results for such collaboration and apply the SADI Model at the appropriate intensity level – basic, medium or high level.


Research limitations – such a model hasn’t been fully implemented, so the full spectrum of all activities and their performance hasn’t been tested yet, as the implementation of it requires the involvement of multiple university departments. As well a limited approbation of the model is done since it is tested within Riga Technical University.


Practical implications – the model can be used in different intensity levels according to the university’s strategical aims and desired achievable results from the collaboration with the industry. Originality/Value – the article supplements previous research done in the field of university-industry collaboration, providing an approach “SADI Model for Building a Relationship between Universities and Entrepreneurs” on how to structure and organise the collaboration with industry within the university as well as provides structured approach on how to define activities to be implemented by university based on the desired outcomes form such collaboration.

Keyword : collaboration model, strategy, university-industry interaction

How to Cite
Zunda, S., Zeps, A., & Strode, S. (2020). Creation of a sustainable model for building and maintaining a relationship between universities and entrepreneurs. Business, Management and Economics Engineering, 18(1), 33-55. https://doi.org/10.3846/bme.2020.11287
Published in Issue
Feb 27, 2020
Abstract Views
1845
PDF Downloads
676
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Aarhus University. (2018). Collaboration with researchers. http://www.au.dk/en/collaboration/collaboration-with-business-and-industry/collaboration-with-researchers/

Accenture. (2018). Careers. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/find-your-fit-students-graduates-undergraduate-summer-internships

ADAPTER. (n.d.). About ADAPTER. https://adapter.ee/en/about-adapter/

American Council in Higher Education. (2001). Working together, creating knowledge. The universityindustry research collaboration initiative. http://www.bhef.com/sites/default/files/BHEF_2001_working_together.pdf

Arundel, A., Barjak, F., Es-Sadki, N., Husing, T., Lilischkis, S., Perrett, P., Samuel, O. (2013). Respondent report of the knowledge transfer study, 2012. http://knowledge-transfer-study.eu/fileadmin/KTS/documents/KTS_Respondent_report_2012_v1.1.pdf

Baldini, N. (2010). University spin-offs and their environment. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 22, 859–876. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2010.520470

Bikse, V., Lusena-Ezera, I., Rivza, B., & Volkova, T. (2016). The transformation of traditional universities into entrepreneurial universities to ensure sustainable higher education. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability, 18(2), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.1515/jtes-2016-0016

Bruneel, J., Este, P., & Salter, A. (2009). Investigating the factors that diminish the barriers to universityindustry collaboration. Research Policy, 39(7), 858–868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2010.03.006

College of Engineering University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2018). College advisory boards. https://www.engr.wisc.edu/about/leadership/advisory-board/

Council for Aid to Education. (2018). Colleges and universities raised $43.60 billion in 2017 http://cae.org/images/uploads/pdf/VSE-2017-Press-Release.pdf

Dubickis, M., Eliņa, L., Gaile-Sarkane, E., Gūte, L., Ozoliņš, M., Paule, D., Rubina, L., Straujuma, A., Ščeulovs, D., & Zeps, A. (2017). Projekta «Studiju procesa un industrijas sadarbības veicināšanas pasākumu alternatīvu modeļu izpēte» ārvalstu un Latvijas pieredzes analīze un datu apkopojums darbības programmas «Izaugsme un nodarbinātība» 1.1.1.3. pasākumam «Inovāciju granti studentiem». Izglītības un zinātnes ministrija. http://www.izm.gov.lv/images/ES_fondi/seminaru_DK/P%C4%93t%C4%ABjuma_rezult%C4%81ti_15.05.pdf

D’Este, P., & Patel, P. (2007). University-industry linkages in the UK: What are the factors underlying the variety of interactions with industry? Research Policy, 36(9), 1295–1313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.05.002

Fernández-López, S., Calvo, N., & Rodeiro-Pazos, D. (2019). The funnel model of firms’ R&D cooperation with universitie. Science and Public Policy, 46(1), 45–54. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scy036

Hurst, D. K. (1995). Crisis and renewal: Meeting the challenge of organizational change. Harvard Business Review Press.

Karlan, D., & List, J. A. (2007). Effect of matching ratios on charitable giving in the United States Abdul Latif Jameel poverty action lab. https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/effect-matching-ratios-charitable-giving-united-states

Kozlinska, I. (2012). Obstacles to the university-industry cooperation in the domain of entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Management, 6, 153–160.

Knockaert, M., Ucbasaran, D., Wright, M., & Clarysse, B. (2011). The relationship between knowledge transfer, top management team composition, and performance: The case of science‐based entrepreneurial firms. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 35(4), 777–803. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2010.00405.x

Lee, Y. S. (2000). The sustainability of university–industry research collaboration: An empirical assessment. Journal of Technology Transfer, 25(2), 111–133. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007895322042

Martin, M. C., Moriuchi, E., Smith, R. M., Moeder, J. D., & Nichols, C. (2015). The importance of university traditions and rituals in building alumni brand communities and loyalty. International Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, 19(3), 107–118.

Mascarenhas, C., Ferreira, J. J., & Marques, C. (2018). University–industry cooperation: A systematic literature review and research agenda. Science and Public Policy, 45(5), 708–718. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scy003

Mascarenhas, C., Marques, C. S., Galvão, A. R., & Santos, G. (2017). Entrepreneurial university: towards a better understanding of past trends and future directions. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 11, 316–338. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-02-2017-0019

Mildahn, B., & Schiller, D. (2006). Barrieren für den Wissenstransfer zwischen Universitäten und Unternehmen in Schwellenländern – eine Analyse des regionalen Innovationssystems Bangkok. Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie, 50(1), 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1515/zfw.2006.0004

Muscio, A., Quaglione, D., & Ramaciotti, L. (2016). The effects of university rules on spinoff creation: The case of academia in Italy. Research Policy, 45(7), 1386–1396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.011

Nielsen, C., & Cappelen, K. (2014). Exploring the mechanisms of knowledge transfer in university-industry collaborations: A study of companies, students and researchers. Higher Education Quarterly, 68(4), 375–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12035

Northam, J. (2012). Economic impact – UK universities contributed £3.3bn to the economy in 2010-11! Bournemouth University. http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2012/08/01/economic-impact-uk-universities-contributed-3-3bn-to-the-economy-in-2010-11/

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2012). A guiding framework for entrepreneurial universities. https://www.oecd.org/site/cfecpr/EC-OECD%20Entrepreneurial%20Universities%20Framework.pdf

Perkmann, M., & Walsh, K. (2007). University–industry relationships and open innovation Towards a research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9(4), 259–280. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2007.00225.x

Powell, F. (2016). 10 universities where the most alumni donate. U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/2016-10-18/10-universities-where-the-most-alumni-donate

Puura, E., & Varrak, T. (2016). The cooperation between a university and an entrepreneur is just like any other human relationship. https://adapter.ee/en/the-cooperation-between-a-university-and-an-entrepreneur-is-just-like-any-other-human-relationship/

Quinn, J. B., Anderson, P., & Finkelstein, S. (2005). Leveraging intellect. Academy of Management Executive, 19(4), 78–94. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2005.19417909

Rasmussen, E., & Wright, M. (2015). How can universities facilitate academic spin-offs? An entrepreneurial competency perspective. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 40(5), 782–799. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-014-9386-3

Rohrbeck, R., & Arnold, H. (2006). Making university-industry collaboration work – a case study on the Deutsche Telekom Laboratories contrasted with findings in literature. In ISPIM 2006 Conference: “Networks for Innovation” (pp. 1–11). https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/id/eprint/5470

Schiller, D. & Liefner, I. (2007). Higher education funding reform and university–industry links in developing countries: The case of Thailand. Higher Education, 54(4), 543–556. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-006-9011-y

Sharma, P., & Chrisman, J. J. (1999). Toward a reconciliation of the definitional issues in the field of corporate entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 23(3), 11–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/104225879902300302

Siegel, D. S., Waldman, D., & Link, A. (2003). Assessing the Impact of organizational practices on the relative productivity of university technology transfer offices: An exploratory study. Research Policy, 32(1), 27–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-7333(01)00196-2

Silicon Valley Internship Programme. (2016). What is SVIP. https://www.siliconvalleyinternship.com/

Stal, E., Andreassi, T., & Fujino, A. (2016). The role of university incubators in stimulating academic entrepreneurship. RAI Revista de Administração e Inovação, 3(2), 89–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rai.2016.01.004

Stanford University. (n.d.). The Triple Helix concept. https://triplehelix.stanford.edu/3helix_concept

Tener, R. K. (1996). Industry-university partnerships for construction engineering education. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education & Practice, 122(4), 156–162. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1052-3928(1996)122:4(156)

The University of Sydney. (2018). SIT industry advisory board. https://sydney.edu.au/engineering/about/school-of-information-technologies/industry-advisory-board.html

University of Bristol. (2017). Reimagining Bristol’s future. http://www.bris.ac.uk/alumni/news/2017/bristolfuture.html#_ga=2.119268042.2121389493.1521316686-1599641056.1521205556

Zeps, A. (2016). Stratēģiskie risinājumi organizācijas ilgtspējīgai attīstībai un starptautiskai izcilībai: promocijas darba kopsavilkums. RTU izdevniecība.