Generative Mechanisms for Scientific Knowledge Transfer in the Food Industry

Karla Zimpel-Leal,Fiona Lettice

doi:10.3390/su13020955

Karla Zimpel-Leal, Fiona Lettice

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020955

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Abstract

This paper investigates the generative mechanisms for scientific knowledge transfer in the food industry, addressing the sustainability of knowledge transfer projects related to health, safety and regulation. Different levels of analysis examine structure, agency and interactions within a multilevel framework. The main research questions are: (1) what are the key generative mechanisms within science–industry knowledge transfer? and (2) what are the implications of these mechanisms to policy? This research applies explaining-outcome process-tracing by investigating different knowledge transfer projects, utilising empirical data from 52 in-depth interviews with food scientists and food SMEs, 17 supporting documents and 16 observations. Systematic combining is used to develop a narrative from empirical data, where the evidence leads to the formation of the most plausible explanation. This is followed by the abstraction of mechanisms which are then matched to a suitable theoretical framework. The results from the study show a range of predominant mechanisms that drove scientific knowledge transfer including nonpecuniary incentives, reputation, opportunity, instrumental rationality, self-interest, strategic calculation, aggregation, learning and adaptive self-regulation. The overall conclusion is that the construction of relationships based around social norms, autonomy and relatedness are more dominant than those focused on financial incentives or transaction cost theories.

Highlights

Science–industry knowledge transfer has long been considered important to explain innovation in the food industry, it has highlighted challenges raised between actors [1]
The interactive or transformation mechanisms are aggregation, learning and adaptive self-regulation. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of scientists’ environmental constraints and opportunities to collaborate with industry and their individual motivations that are seemed to be beyond economics and extrinsic rewards to include nonpecuniary, social and personal aspects related to intrinsic motivation
This study inductively investigates the generative mechanisms for scientific knowledge transfer, which are broadly related to the four types of mechanisms observed in the current literature

Summary

Introduction

Science–industry knowledge transfer has long been considered important to explain innovation in the food industry, it has highlighted challenges raised between actors [1]. Scholars and practitioners posit a strong focus on economic gains that firms can potentially attain from knowledge transfer activities with either scienceacademic partners or other firms [4]. Mechanisms such as economic contracts [5], social exchange [6], autonomy [7], engaged scholarship [8], and learning [9] are seen as useful tools that can improve knowledge transfer and increase competitive advantage. A recognition of the importance of science to industry knowledge transfer in this context led to the motivation to investigate the generative mechanisms for science–industry knowledge transfer in the food industry, especially to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.

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