The micro-foundations of conflicts in joint university-industry laboratories

Abstract

Whilst extensive research has been conducted on the management of research and development (R&D) alliances between universities and industrial firms, it has largely been concerned with macro-level phenomena such as innovation processes and institutional influences on collaboration. In this conceptual paper, we contribute to the growing research on the micro-foundations of the management of university-industry cooperation by developing a parsimonious theory to explain the origins of conflicts between R&D actors in joint university-industry research laboratories (joint UI labs). We mobilise a theoretical perspective new to this literature that accounts for the variety of individual interests within complex management contexts: multiple agency theory. By these means, we resolve the multitude of individual relationships within a joint UI lab into the interactions between "principals" (e.g., a lab manager) and "agents" (e.g., a scientist). We explain the origins of principal-agent conflicts within joint UI labs in terms of multiple identities, differences in temporal orientation, transcending relationships, claims to ownership of co-produced knowledge, and bargaining power asymmetry. This micro-foundational focus allows us to recommend more nuanced management strategies for mitigating conflicts. We also discuss several potential avenues for future research.