A Systematic Literature Review of Partnership Development at the University–Industry–Government Nexus

Abstract

The increasingly entrepreneurial intent of universities implies the commercialization of knowledge and innovation through the triple helix of interactions between universities, industry and government. However, there remains a lack of clarity concerning best practice partnerships for innovation. This systematic literature review (SLR) provides insights onto the development of partnerships at the university–industry–government nexus and builds on the existing top-down/bottom-up approach for the creation of intermediaries of innovation. The SLR describes the evolution of these intermediaries, which is driven both by criteria set by partners and the globalization of the knowledge economy. This SLR reveals that the partnership structure most likely to further economic and broader societal goals is the living lab with the inherent focus on open innovation and co-creation. This SLR reveals that the living lab structure (and including sustainability labs and urban living labs) is the partnership structure utilized for innovation that addresses economic, social and environmental goals. Two areas are recommended for further research. One concerns the development of a deeper understanding of the relationship between the evolution in the structures of partnerships for innovation and how it is influenced by the globalization of the economy, society and environment, and changing modes of knowledge production. The other is to better understand why the living lab approach to partnership creation is best suited to the delivery of sustainable development objectives and how this learning can be applied to other models of partnership development at the university–industry–government nexus.

Collaborative Networks between Innovation Spaces

“…Moreover, the diversity of actors present in these places shows us that they are important meeting points in a territory [14] [10]. Networking them would therefore be beneficial for the territorial development [15]. This is not contradictory with their strategy.…”

Exploring the Potential of Open Innovation for Co-Creation in Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Literature Review

“…The benefits of collaboration among different actors have been previously studied. A systematic literature review explored the relationship between companies, academia, and governments through a triple helix (Burbridge and Morrison 2021). These authors identified that, due to the globalization of the economy, environmental concerns, and the development of a knowledge society, innovation partnerships have evolved.…”