From interpersonal networks to inter‐organizational alliances for university–industry collaborations in Japan: the case of the Tokyo Institute of Technology

Abstract

Successful collaborations between university and industry (U-I) promise numerous mutual benefits. In order to realize these benefits, both parties need effective governance mechanisms to overcome organizational and cultural barriers. Until 2004 in Japan, national universities were government organizations, and as such, they were prevented from actively pursuing collaborations with industry. Under this restriction, U-I collaborations were established through informal interpersonal networks. Joint R&D projects were inherently small and seldom likely to generate concrete results for industry. After a series of institutional and organizational reforms by the Japanese government, universities and industries adopted a new strategic approach in the early 2000s to form inter-organizational alliances. Based on the case of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, this paper analyzes how the inter-organizational alliances are managed and investigates their impact on joint R&D projects, in comparison with the traditional interpersonal networks. Additional research indicates that most national and private universities adopt management schemes similar to those presented in the case study. The findings suggest that inter-organizational U-I alliances, being equipped with contractual arrangements, organizational commitments, specialized coordination, and formal evaluation procedures, enable alliance partners to initiate more explorative research, to organize interdisciplinary projects with faculties in different research fields, and to establish largerscale R&D projects. R&D Management 41, 2,

Antecedents of Cooperation of Public Higher Education Institutions with External Entities. literature approach

“…Establishing relations between education institutions and external entities and taking advantage of them may provide both parties with numerous benefits, which has been proven by a significant number of empirical research results (e.g. Turpin et al, 1996;Etzkowitz & Klofsten, 2005;Lee, 2011). For instance, effective research cooperation provides universities with funds for research, they enable to put the research results into practice and have an insight into new research areas.…”

“…For instance, effective research cooperation provides universities with funds for research, they enable to put the research results into practice and have an insight into new research areas. In turn, external entities gain an opportunity to absorb new knowledge of crucial meaning for future innovations, to solve technological problems concerning production goods and services and to gain access to the human capital (Lee, 2011). On the other hand, indicating dependences being the consequence of interorganisational relations constitutes the most fundamental challenge for measuring the effectiveness of such relations in the public sector (Lacey, Cuganesan, Goode & Jacobs, 2012).…”

Governança tecnológica e cooperabilidade nas multinacionais brasileiras

“…• O desenvolvimento de mecanismos de governança, tais como arranjos contratuais, coordenação especializada e procedimentos de avaliação formal (Chiaroni, Chiesa & Frattini, 2011;Lee, 2011).…”

Global Interdependence of Collaborative R&D-Typology and Association of International Co-Patenting

“…It is reasonable to assume international patent are more valuable because international collaboration can be equipped with legal contract, bilateral agreement, specialized coordination, and formal evaluation procedures and therefore enable collaboration partners to initiate larger-scale R&D project [107]. Considering those patent characteristics that are relevant to patent quality, e.g., value, influence, scope, II-IA is ranked as top for No.…”