Irina Saur-Amaral

Co-ownership Active Interfaces between Academia and Industry

ABSTRACT This paper explores, after a brief review of the relevant literature, the characteristics of a co-ownership active interface in which the authors are involved. It is asserted that this interface, creative and idiosyncratic by its learning-by-doing outlook, provides a new cooperation platform for technological co-development and knowledge sharing. Linkages between academia and industry lack vitality and they are hampered by unequal expectations. Cooperation between the two sides faces dissimilar mind frames and objectives, and lacks mutual confidence built upon long-term, regular partnerships. Various approaches to university–industry collaboration are called for, desirably rooted in regional characteristics and allowing for cultural idiosyncrasies. In this paper, we claim that the case under analysis, where both strategic and tactical aspects are agreed upon jointly by academics and firms, provides a sound solution for efficient university–industry cooperation initiatives.

Uncertainty in drug development: insights from a Portuguese firm

Our study identified and analysed risks and uncertainties associated with the Drug Development Process (DDP) and managerial practices/methods to reduce them. Our approach was two-fold. First, we developed a theoretical model of risks/uncertainties and methods. Second, we performed an in-depth case study in a Portuguese firm to validate and enrich that model. We explain differences between theoretical and empirical insights and address key issues from the empirical study. Our final model has nine risk areas (divided in internal and external) and 15 methods (divided in outward and inward), and represents a significant instrument for further validation within pharmaceutical firms.

Innovation intelligence: crowdsourcing in a social network

Our paper looks at the way innovation problems, solutions and trends are freely reflected in collective intelligence available in global initiatives and social networks. Social networks and global initiatives building on free contributions with high visibility have emerged as alternative solutions to grasp and integrate knowledge all over the world. We aim to identify types of contribution and possible effects onto organisational innovation. Our paper uses a grounded-theory approach, building from data available online, in two LinkedIn innovation groups where the author is a full member (related to Open Innovation). The main outcomes of our paper reside in better understanding the role that can be played in innovation by no-cost collective initiatives open to worldwide contributors, the type of contributors and contribution that appear in those initiatives.