Knowledge Exchange Between Universities and the Business, Public and Third Sectors: Preliminary Results From Surveys of Businesses and Academics Maria

Knowledge Exchange Between Universities and the Business, Public

and Third Sectors: Preliminary Results From Surveys of Businesses and

Academics

Maria Abreu, Alan Hughes, Vadim Grinevich and Michael Kitson

Centre for Business Research and Judge Business School

University of Cambridge

Higher Education – Making A Difference ToEconomies And Communities, Belfast

Wednesday 28th January

Some Preliminaries: The Evolution of University–Business Interactions

• The narrow model– Focus on a narrow range of technology

transfer mechanisms

• The wider model– Focus on a wide range of interactions– Exchange rather than transfer

The Standard Narrow Model • Narrow focus on Technology Transfer• Mechanisms: Patents, Licenses, Spin-outs• Limitations

– Model is incomplete – Potential financial returns were frequently

over-estimated – Metrics distorting behaviour (Goodhart’s Law:

any observed statistical regularity will tend to collapse once pressure is placed upon it for control purposes)

The Wider Model: Multiple Knowledge Exchange Mechanisms

• A ‘systems’ approach and not simply ‘market failure’

• Educating people• Problem solving• Role of many disciplines (not just STEM)• Interactions with public and third sectors as well as

with business • Public space functions (Universities do not move)

– Relatively neglected, but distinctive– Includes networking; social interaction; meetings,

conferences; entrepreneurship centres; personnel exchanges, including internships

• Focus on exchange not simply ‘transfer’

Knowledge Exchange – Multiple Mechanisms

Educating People• Training skilled

undergraduates, graduates & postdocs

Providing public space• Forming/accessing networks and stimulating

social interaction• Influencing the direction of search processes

among users and suppliers of technology and fundamental researchers

–Meetings and conferences–Hosting standard-setting forums–Entrepreneurship centers–Alumni networks–Personnel exchanges (internships, faculty

exchanges, etc.)–Visiting committees–Curriculum development committees

Increasing the stock of ‘codified’ useful knowledge• Publications• Patents• Prototypes

Problem-solving• Contract research• Cooperative research with industry• Technology licensing• Faculty consulting• Providing access to specialized

instrumentation and equipment• Incubation services

Source: A. Cosh, A. Hughes and R. Lester UK PLC Just How Innovative Are We? Cambridge MIT Institute 2006

Universities as Sources of Knowledge

• Universities are one of many components in the innovation “ecosystem”

• Clients and suppliers are typically cited as the most important and frequent sources

• Focusing on formal collaborations may be too restrictive

• Universities are used in combination with internal sources, other businesses, and intermediary institutions

The Importance of Diversity

We should, however, guard against a situation where all our universities aim for the same goals. What is required is a diversity of excellence, with research universities focusing on curiosity driven research, teaching and knowledge transfer, and business-facing universities focusing on the equally important economic mission of professional teaching, user-driven research, and problem solving with local and regional companies. Sainsbury (2007): The Race to the Top: A Review of Government’s Science and Innovation Policies, p.44

Some Unresolved Issues

• Relative importance of non-traditional types of interaction, including “public space” roles?

• Extent of collaboration of businesses with academics beyond science and engineering?

• Interactions with the public and third sectors?

ESRC Project on University-Business Knowledge Exchange

• Multi-methodology approach• In a first stage, scoping case studies of

businesses and academics to help in the development of two survey instruments

• In the second stage, two large-scale surveys of businesses and academics, with matched questions

• Finally, a number of in-depth case studies to follow up on findings from the surveys

Survey of Academics: Interim Results

• Online survey of academics is still underway. The results in this presentation are based on data from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, East of England, North East and West Midlands.

• Online survey sent to individual e-mail addresses

• Preliminary results based on 6,800 observations (20% response rate)

• Results for Northern Ireland based on 632 respondents (24% response rate)

Interactions by Discipline

0 20 40 60 80% of respondents

Arts and Humanities

Social Sciences

Engineering

Physics and Mathematics

Biology, Chemistry

Health Sciences

Source: Centre for Business Research / ESRC Survey of Academics (2008)

Interactions by discipline

Private sector Public sectorThird sector


Arts and Humanities

Social Sciences

Engineering

Physics and Mathematics

Biology, Chemistry

Health Sciences


Interactions by discipline, NI

Private sector Public sectorThird sector

Interactions by Discipline: Northern Ireland

Types of Interactions

• People-based activities (eg training, student placements)

• Problem-solving activities (eg research, advice, publications)

• Community-based activities (eg public lectures, school projects)

Involvement in People-based Activities


Enterprise Education

Giving invited lectures

Sitting on advisory boards

Participating in networks

Standard setting forums

Attending conferences

Curriculum development

Student placements

Employee training


People-based activities

Involvement in People-based Activities: Northern Ireland

0 20 40 60 80 100% of respondents

Enterprise Education

Giving invited lectures

Sitting on advisory boards

Participating in networks

Standard setting forums

Attending conferences

Curriculum development

Student placements

Employee training


People-based activities, NI

Involvement in Problem-solving Activities

0 20 40 60% of respondents

Joint publications

Setting up physical facilities

Prototyping and testing

Informal advice

Research consortia

Consultancy services

Contract research

Joint research

External secondment

Hosting of personnel


Problem-solving activities

Involvement in Problem-solving Activities: Northern Ireland


Joint publications

Setting up physical facilities

Prototyping and testing

Informal advice

Research consortia

Consultancy services

Contract research

Joint research

External secondment

Hosting of personnel


Problem-solving activities, NI

Involvement in Community-based Activities


School projects

Public exhibitions

Community-based sports

Lectures for the community


Community-based activities

Involvement in Community-based Activities: Northern Ireland

0 10 20 30 40 50% of respondents

School projects

Public exhibitions

Community-based sports

Lectures for the community


Community-based activities, NI

Impact of Interactions on Research


Not applicable

Very little or no impact

Led to contacts in the field

Provided new insights

Strengthened reputation

Led to new research projects


Impact of activities on research

Impact of Interactions on Teaching


Not applicable

Very little or no impact

Entrepreneurial skills of students

Employability of students

Changes to presentation of material

Strengthened reputation

Changes to course programme


Impact of activities on teaching

Survey of Businesses: Interim Results

Total sample23296

Total no of ineligible firms 2096

Surveyed firms 21200

Total usable responses 2357

Response rate (%) 11.1

The survey was carried out during July to September 2008.

Firms (%) Employing Someone to Liaise with HEIs

12

6

10

23

41

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

All Micro Small Medium Large

%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Source: CBR HEI Business Survey 2008

•Medium and large have this specialised post

• Micro <10• Small 10-50• Medium 50-

250• Large >250

Interactions by Discipline

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Other Humanities

Language Studies

Veterinary/ Agricultural Studies

Medicine/Dentistry

Creative Arts

Economics and Social Science

Physics/ Astronomy/ Earth Science

Chemistry

Biological Science

Education

Materials Science

Architecture/ Building/ Planning and Urban Design

Mathematics/ Computing

Business and Financial Studies

Engineering/ Technology

%


• Business has high demand for STEM, Social Sciences and Built Environment

Why Interact with HEIs?

4.0 4.56.7

12.7

17.4

23.926.1

29.4 30.133.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Outbo

und

logist

ics

Inbo

und lo

gistic

s

Procu

rement

Opera

tions

Firm in

frastr

ucture

Mar

ketin

g an

d sales

Intro

ducti

on o

f new p

rodu

ct an

d/or...

Techn

ology

dev

elopment

Human Res

ourc

e M

anag

emen

t

Servic

e (c

ustom

er sup

port,

repa

irs...

%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35


•Technology not dominant; the whole of business needs are met

How are Interactions with HEIs Initiated?

19.622.1

29.733.2 33.6

44.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

Uni

vers

itykn

owle

dge/

tech

nolo

gytr

ansf

er o

ffic

e

Mut

ual a

ctio

nsfo

llow

ing

up c

onta

ct a

ta

form

al c

onfe

renc

e or

mee

ting

A t

hird

par

tyor

gani

satio

n

Mut

ual a

ctio

nsfo

llow

ing

up in

form

alco

ntac

ts

Indi

vidu

al a

cade

mic

s

Res

pond

ents

act

ions

in a

ppro

achi

ngac

adem

ics

and/

orH

EIs

dire

ctly

%

0

10

20

30

40

50


• Informal individual approaches dominate.

• University intermediation relatively infrequent.

Involved with HEIs in People-based Activities

26.9

17.9

25.9

41.2

66.4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


•High levels of interaction rising with size.

•But 17.9% of micro-firms is a large number of firms

Involved with HEIs in Problem-solving Activities

11.2

6.4

10.1

19.7

35.2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


• Percentage involvement rises with size

• Low micro and small interaction

Involved with HEIs in Community-based Activities

17.0

10.5

16.7

26.3

45.2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50


%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50


• Percentage involvement rises with size

Positive Impact of Firms’ Involvement in Knowledge

Exchange Activities

45.3 44.4

38.2

60.0

54.3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


•Likelihood of positive impact highest in medium and large firms

Constraints on Interactions (% of collaborating firms)

• Lack of resources in the firm to manage the interaction 38.4• Lack of regional programmes that encourage interactions

29.1• Difficulty in identifying partners 28.1• Insufficient benefits from interaction 27.3• Lack of central government programmes 26.9• Lack of experience dealing with academics and/or HEIs 22.1• Bureaucracy and inflexibility of HEI administration 20.9• Lack of interest by academics and/or HEIs 19.3• Incompatibility of timescales for deliverables 14.5• Cultural differences 8.0• Difficulty in reaching agreement on intellectual property 6.5

Reasons for Not Interacting with HEIs

73.4

49.946.6

39.0

30.4 27.7

6.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Not cons

ider

ed re

levant

No info

rmatio

n on p

oten

tial b

enef

its

No info

rmatio

n on h

ow to

go

abou

t it

Consid

ered

too

time co

nsum

ing

Consid

ered

too

com

plica

ted

Consid

ered

too

expe

nsive

Tried in

the

past

and i

t did

not w

ork

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80


•Many firms do not need to interact with HEIs

•Significant proportion cite information problems

University-Industry Knowledge Exchange in the UK : The State of Play

• There is no one ideal model of university-business interactions

• Wide range of interactions, but people-based interactions are most important

• Interactions encompass a wide range of disciplines and involve the business, public and third sectors

• Many interactions involved strategic, long-term problems rather than specific technical issues

• Importance of “gatekeepers”, on both sides of the relationship, to identify, promote and ensure the success of interactions

THE MYTH OF THE ACADEMIC IVORY TOWER

Documents

Knowledge Exchange Between Universities and the Business, Public and Third Sectors: Preliminary Results From Surveys of Businesses and Academics Maria