Innovation: a knowledge transfer perspective

Abstract

One means of innovation is the adoption of new knowledge from external sources. This article describes theory building research to improve the transfer of knowledge between universities and businesses that are collaborating together. Using pilot studies and in-depth interviews based on real-life innovation projects, the research identified and confirmed two hypothetical constructs; that successful knowledge transfer comes from the transfer of tacit knowledge; and that tacit knowledge can best be transferred in this arena using rich media channels. This article describes the research and goes on to assess a range of channels for their media richness and their ability to transfer tacit knowledge. This article then positions this in the frame of collaborative or open innovation. It concludes that selection of the appropriate channel can improve the innovation through the transfer of knowledge between organisations and presents a model for successful application.

University–industry collaboration: using meta-rules to overcome barriers to knowledge transfer

“…Knowledge transfer in a university context is a term used to encapsulate a wide range of activities ranging from less formal joint projects between universities and industry such as joint publications, student projects and executive education to more formal collaborative research, consultancy and start up activity (Alexander and Childe 2013;Perkmann et al 2013). University knowledge transfer activities exist at multiple levels and involve a wide range of internal and external stakeholders such as general administrative staff, various subject faculties, staff within dedicated research centres, knowledge transfer managers, university senior managers, government bodies, research funders, industry and societal stakeholders (Robinson et al 2010;Miller et al 2014).…”

“…It can occur across dyadic or multiple relationships and via a range of knowledge transfer mechanisms (or channels) (Alexander and Childe 2013). With increasing pressure to make an impact on society, combined with reduced funding streams, universities are actively trying to develop their collaborations with industry (Miller et al 2014).…”

A Framework for the Transfer of Knowledge between Universities and Industry

“…For industry to be able to exploit knowledge, our previous work has shown that that knowledge is needed to support action. We therefore take the view in this study that for useful exploitation, a successful transfer of knowledge would be one that resulted in the transfer of tacit knowledge [5].…”

“…By focussing on certain attributes or properties of knowledge the framework can be used to aid in planning a knowledge transfer activity and visualising how knowledge might flow during the project. This will in-turn affect decisions on governance (where a partnering style of governance can lead to more tacit knowledge being transferred [30]), geographic location of the knowledge partner (in relation to the ability to hold face to face meetings [5]) amongst a number of other factors. Future research in the this area will focus on balancing the extensive qualitative data collected within this study with more objective measurements of performance, again taken across completed knowledge transfer project as the second, more deductive phase of theory development (according to [31]).…”

“…This work builds on a definitive list of the channels of knowledge transfer, developed by Alexander & Childe [5].…”