Abstract
PurposeIn this paper, we depart from extant conceptualisations of knowledge translation mechanisms to examine projects as a way to achieve effective knowledge transfer. Our empirical analysis focused on a university–industry research project in the automotive industry.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis was based on a qualitative investigation. We analysed material collected within a research project involving a partnership between two universities and Fiat-Chrysler Automotive (FCA), a multi-brand auto manufacturer with a product range covering several different market segments. We used three data collection techniques: internal document analysis, participant observation and semi-structured interviews.FindingsOur findings show that, in a U-I research project, goals represent a key dimension to support knowledge translation. Defining the goal implies an ongoing negotiation process, where researchers and company employees work together, in order to converge towards a shared meaning of the goal. In this sense, goal orientation and goal-based interaction have significant implications for knowledge translation processes.Originality/valueStudies to date have focussed on the concept of knowledge translation as a way to contextualise the transfer from the source of knowledge to the receiver and to interpret the knowledge to be exchanged. This study expands the understanding of knowledge translation mechanisms in university–industry research settings. It investigates the concept of projects as powerful knowledge translation mechanism in a dynamic and longitudinal perspective. Our contribution provides insight, reflecting on how the use of projects may represent a way to facilitate knowledge transfer and build up new ideas and solutions.
Highlights
In recent years, universities have increasingly taken part in research projects involving firms
A lot of attention has been paid to interactions on the university– industry (U–I) interface, especially mechanisms able to facilitate knowledge transfer (Perkmann and Walsh, 2007)
Empirical analysis has emphasised that knowledge transfer between universities and industry contributes to higher productivity and economic growth and examined the role of universities as a key driver for innovation (Bodas Freitas et al, 2014; Mueller, 2006)
Summary
Universities have increasingly taken part in research projects involving firms. This is partly because of public expenditure policies that indirectly encouraged university– industry (U–I) collaboration (Giuliani and Arza, 2009) to provide economic and social value. Amabile et al (2001) suggested that there are three important features of project collaborations between academic researchers and business practitioners They involve people who are members of different professions (academia and business), second, they may be understood as collaborations between individuals or teams, not between organisations and third, the collaborators are not all members of the same organisation. A significant part of organising these interdisciplinary research projects is the establishment of a shared language, relatedness of specialised knowledge, shared meanings, and ability to recognise the contribution of each individual knowledge domain (Kellogg et al, 2006)
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