Using management theory to support your recommendations

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Success factors in Industry-Academia Collaborations for Research and Innovation

Shaun Coffey, Education Leader, FFCRC

Commercial-in-confidence

This information is provided for the confidential and exclusive use of students of RMIT University enrolled in the unit USM4547: Management in Practice

January 2021

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Purpose of this presentation To provide some background information to assist students to understand the factors that impact on collaboration in research and innovation.

This is a guide and a starting point only….you are encouraged to research and read widely on the topic.

Cooperative Research Centres These are one example of collaboration between industry and academia

The purpose of such collaborations are to foster research that directly leads to innovation in industry

A fundamental question would be:

If you are a consultant in the energy sector, and you have both industry/business clients and university clients, what advice would you provide for them to be successful in conducting research and achieving innovation?

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Factors to consider Why collaborate?

What models exist?

What are the benefits for industry? For academia?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

How does government support collaboration?

What works? And why/how?

What examples can you find?

What funding relationships work?

What does the literature say is important? A few things include

• Buy-in and support from company management.

• The research environment at the university.

• Researcher’s visible presence in industry.

• Researcher’s attitude and social skills.

• Researcher’s commitment to contribute to industry needs.

• The role of champions

• Trust/respect

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How to approach the subject One way might be to: 1. Look for some studies/paper that report of successful

collaborations 2. Try to assemble your own list of success factors 3. Then analysis specific examples to see if the success factors are

present – test your ideas and try to improve on what the literature says

4. Look for ideas/evidence to support your list – especially those not identified in the literature

There is no one right way, so be bold and creative in your approach

Where to start Start with these papers in the reading material for the course:

1. The Success Factors Powering Industry-Academia Collaboration. (Wohlin et al., 2012)

2. The new science and engineering management: cooperative research centers as government policies, industry strategies, and organizations (Boardman and Gray, 2010)

3. The Status and Characteristics of University-Industry Collaboration in a Research University (Mansora et al., 2015)

4. A framework to improve university–industry collaboration (Awasthy et al., 2020)

5. R&D, Financial constraints and productivity: evidence from the Chinese industrial enterprises (Xu et al., 2017)

6. Strengthening Academic and Industry Collaboration for Improved Outcomes and Impact: Construction Management Sector Centre Model (Stevens and London 2019

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