Taran Thune

Institutionalization of university-industry interaction: an empirical study of the impact of formal structures on collaboration patterns

This article addresses the increasing formalization of cross-sector collaboration between universities and industry seen in the development of public funding schemes such as collaborative research centers (CRCs). This policy trend is analyzed in the article and investigated empirically, treating the organizational arrangements supporting cross-sector collaboration as a dependent variable, where the purpose is to investigate institutionalization processes through a number of case studies of university-industry collaboration. The investigation indicates that less formal, project-based collaborations, contrary to policy assumptions, often display a higher degree of institutionalization than CRCs, and that CRCs represent highly formal but weakly institutionalized frameworks of collaboration. The main reason is that centers involve several industrial partners and as a consequence CRCs represent several different modalities of collaboration at the same time. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Proximity and Interactive Learning in University–Firm Relationships

This paper addresses the question of whether proximity is always necessary for interactive learning, as proposed by recent European innovation theory. Recent research has provided a refined conceptualization of proximity, but there is little empirically-based knowledge about the actual role that proximity plays in relationships intended to foster interactive learning. The paper investigates how proximity actually impacts on interactive learning processes by examining collaborative research projects between firms and universities.

Coping with Economic Crises—The Role of Clusters

Abstract The paper analyses the role clusters can play in coping with the impacts of economic crises, specifically by addressing how cluster organizations have acted to meet the challenges following the economic crises in Norway in the period 2008–2010. The paper investigates whether cluster maturity influences how the cluster acts in response to a crisis. To shed light on these questions, survey data from Norwegian cluster organizations were collected in two waves (spring 2009 and autumn 2010), and case studies of four cluster organizations provide further detail. The data indicate that clusters play a role in reducing uncertainty and improving access to necessary resources in crises periods. The data indicate that these advantages are not only due to increased collaboration between firms within the cluster, but that cluster organizations engage in considerable lobbying on behalf of their firms in regards to regional and national policy makers and public funding bodies. When comparing the impact experienced by mature and emerging clusters and their adaptation strategies, the data show that more mature clusters adapted to recent crises by implementing new innovation strategies and increasing collaboration and competence-building activities, to a greater extent than emerging clusters.

Study and Labour Market Effects of Graduate Students' Interaction with Work Organisations during Education: A Cohort Study.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an empirically based discussion of how cooperation between higher education institutions and work organisations (WOs) can increase graduate learning experiences and employability. Design/methodology/approach – Data are based on an electronic and mail-based graduate survey among Norwegian master’s degree graduates six months after graduation. 2,232 master degree graduates responded to the survey, giving a 54 per cent response rate. All subject fields were represented. Findings – 77 per cent of the graduates have some forms of interactions with WOs during their studies. The level and mode of participation differ, however, very much, and the benefits of participating differ by mode of interaction. Project-based interaction is positively and significantly associated with completing studies on time. Further, graduates who have participated in either project-based interactions or practice periods have better labour market situation after graduation than their pe...

Assessing the quality of PhD dissertations. A survey of external committee members

This article reports on a study of the quality assessment of doctoral dissertations, and asks whether examiner characteristics influence assessment of research quality in PhD dissertations. Utilising a multi-dimensional concept of quality of PhD dissertations, we look at differences in assessment of research quality, and particularly test whether prior relationship to supervisor, examiners’ assessment experience and the regional affiliation of examiners influence assessment, also controlling for academic fields and type of higher education institutions. The data are drawn from a survey to foreign members of thesis evaluation committees that served in the year 2010 at the Norwegian universities. The sample consisted of 1159 foreign committee members, representing a response rate of 79%. The results indicate that the regional affiliation and previous experience of committee members influence quality assessment significantly, but that the relationship to supervisor(s) was of little importance.

Combining knowledge to generate new ideas. A study of disclosed ideas for life science inventions

This paper investigates how a combination of diverse sources of knowledge is important for generation of new ideas and addresses how institutional infrastructures and practices support integration of knowledge across organizations in medicine and life sciences. To do so, the paper investigates new product ideas that emerge from hospital and university employees, and looks at the extent of interaction between clinical and scientific environments in the idea generation process. The paper utilizes data about all new product ideas within life science that were reported in South-Eastern Norway in 2009 to 2011, as well as information about the individuals and teams that had been involved in disclosing these ideas. Interviews with inventors have also been carried out. The study shows that interaction across scientific and clinical domains is common and important for generating new product ideas. More than half of the disclosed life science ideas in the database come from groups representing multiple institutions with both scientific and clinical units or from individuals with multiple institutional affiliations. The interviews indicate that the infrastructure for cross-domain interaction is well-developed, particularly for research activities, which has a positive spillover effect on invention activities.

Situated Knowledge Spillovers: A Case Study of Industry Specificity in Urban Knowledge Sourcing

Abstract Theorizing within the umbrella of evolutionary economic geography (EEG) has improved the understanding of how inter‐firm relatedness conditions knowledge spillovers, and how this affects the long‐term evolution of regions. Still, there are shortcomings in this approach associated with a quantitative and generic methodology, a static notion of relatedness, and a weakly developed policy and institutional perspective. In particular, there is a need for a better understanding of the mechanisms through which relatedness is developed and how policy affects existing and emerging relatedness. Certain mechanisms for knowledge transfer have been suggested, such as labour mobility, firm diversification, spin‐offs and social networks. But do the same mechanisms apply to all industries and in all territories, or are there specific mechanisms of knowledge sourcing at work in different contexts? To shed light on these questions, the article reports on a comparative case study of two knowledge‐intensive industries (life science and publishing) located in the Oslo metropolitan region. Based on a case study, the article suggests that both industries source knowledge through similar types of channels. However, despite similarities in how knowledge is accessed and absorbed in this diverse urban context, knowledge sourcing also seems to be conditioned by industry‐specific dynamics, policies and institutions.

Volatile Markets and Reluctant Entrepreneurs

Strategic management and marketing in higher education is becoming increasingly important and widespread as European higher education systems undergo structural and policy changes associated with the European Unions’ reform agenda of “modernizing universities”. Standardization of degree structures, modularization of curriculum and focus on learning outcomes and qualification frameworks are reshaping traditional understandings of markets in European higher education. At the same time increased institutional autonomy, targeted and output-based funding models and focus on increased strategic management capacity of higher education institutions represent trends that are reshaping the regulated continental European higher education systems towards becoming more market-oriented. Developments are however far from one-dimensional. Certain parts of higher education systems and higher education institutions remain more or less insulated from such trends; where as other parts are fully exposed to market forces.