Pathways to impact and the strategic role of universities: new evidence on the breadth and depth of university knowledge exchange in the UK and the factors constraining its development
Pathways to impact and the strategic role of universities: new evidence on the breadth and depth of university knowledge exchange in the UK and the factors constraining its development
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DOI：
10.1093/cje/bes017
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发表时间：
2012-05
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
A. Hughes;M. Kitson
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
A. Hughes;M. Kitson
人们越来越关注大学在刺激创新和经济增长（主要是通过技术转让）方面的战略作用。本文探讨了有关技术转让和一般知识交换过程的许多传统观点的一些关键方面。它分析了两项独特调查的结果：一项针对英国学术界的调查，收到了超过 22,000 份回复；一项针对英国学术界的调查，收到了超过 22,000 份回复；对企业进行的分层调查收到了超过 2,500 份回复。结果表明，有关学术界知识交流的许多传统观点都过于狭隘或被误导。首先，许多学术和政策讨论过度关注商业化和技术转让——学术界使用了许多知识交换机制——其中包括商业化过程，但也包括许多其他“隐藏”联系。其次，对科学基础的关注忽视了知识交流涉及各个学科的学者。第三，对提高创新和业务绩效的关注往往忽视了知识交流涉及来自公共和第三（非营利）部门以及私营部门企业的合作伙伴。第四，阻碍或限制知识交流过程的主要制约因素包括缺乏时间、管理关系的内部能力不足以及识别合作伙伴的信息不足。学术界与企业界的文化差异、知识产权纠纷等问题并不突出。总体而言，该论文表明，学术“象牙塔”的概念对于英国来说似乎是一个神话。它还表明，加强学术界与社会其他部门之间联系的战略重点可能会产生长期利益，但也将面临挑战，不应扭曲或偏离大学成功所依赖的更广泛的学术基础。作者版权所有 2012 年。由牛津大学出版社代表剑桥政治经济学会出版。保留所有权利。牛津大学出版社。
There has been an increasing focus on the strategic role of universities in stimulating innovation and economic growth, primarily though the transfer of technology. This paper interrogates some of the key aspects of much of the conventional wisdom concerning the transfer of technology and the knowledge exchange process in general. It analyses the results from two unique surveys: a survey of the UK academic community that generated more than 22,000 responses; and a stratified survey of businesses that generated more than 2,500 responses. The results suggest that much of the conventional wisdom concerning knowledge exchange involving academia is too narrowly confined or is misinformed. First, there is an excessive focus in much of the academic and policy discourse on commercialisation and technology transfer--there are many knowledge exchange mechanisms used by academics--these include commercialisation processes but also many other 'hidden' connections. Second, the focus on the science base ignores that knowledge exchange involves academics from all disciplines. Third, the preoccupation with improving innovation and business performance tends to ignore that knowledge exchange involves partners from the public and third (not for profit) sectors as well as private sector businesses. Fourth, the main constraints that hinder or limit the knowledge exchange process include a lack of time, insufficient internal capability to manage relationships and insufficient information to identify partners. Problems concerning cultural differences between academics and business, and disputes concerning intellectual property are not prominent. Overall, the paper suggests that the notion of an academic 'ivory tower' seems to be a myth as far as the UK is concerned. It also suggests that a strategic focus on strengthening connections between academia and the rest of society may generate long-term benefits, but it will also face challenges and should not distort or divert from the wider foundations of scholarship on which the success of universities are built. Copyright The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved., Oxford University Press.