Knowledge transfer mechanisms of University-Industry collaboration: an empirical analysis of the biotechnology industry

This study aims to adopt the transaction cost economics, resource-based theory, and social exchange theory to theoretically analyse university-industry knowledge transfer activities and their determinants and consequences. Four mechanisms are identified for university-industry knowledge transfer, namely equity-based transfer, research contract-based transfer, general contract-based transfer, and relation-based transfer. These determinants are examined in three categories, namely, resource factors, resource dependency and complementarities, and transaction cost factors. The sample was gathered from 145 Taiwanese biotechnology firms, and the results indicate that collaboration with a university improves a firm ’s knowledge transfer performance in terms o f knowledge acquisition, knowledge generation, and commercial success. Relation-based transfer and general contract-based transfer are the most effective ways in which to transfer knowledge, and these are followed by research contract-based transfer, and equity-based transfer respectively. Furthermore, the empirical results illustrate that not all types o f resources contribute to university-industry knowledge transfer activities and knowledge transfer performance. A firm’s resources are found to be useful for the formation o f collaboration, and a university’s resources are beneficial for improving knowledge transfer performance, particularly when they have more knowledge resources and organisational resources. Technology transfer office resources and the relationship resources o f universities and firms facilitate an equity-based transfer and improve the performance o f knowledge transfer. Flowever, the greater property-based resources o f a university and a firm do not generate more university-industry knowledge transfer activities and a better knowledge transfer performance. A university’s greater property-based resources can even decrease the knowledge transfer performance. In addition, it was found that knowledge asset specificity and market uncertainty are related to the formation o f a relation-based transfer, general contract-based transfer, and research contract-based transfer. However, resource dependency and resource complementarity do not appear to have an effect on facilitating university-industry knowledge transfer activities and knowledge transfer performance

Multiple perspectives of a knowledge-based Innovation Ecosystem : the case of Khalifa Fund for enterprise development in the UAE

This research addresses adopts the multiple perspectives theory to explore the key factors of the Innovation Ecosystems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It offers systemic point of view for how innovation can be transformed from an event to be a sustainable system in the country’s economy to achieve the 2030 economic vision. Such fundamental transformation will rely on the knowledge-based view (adopted in this study) that the previously published research that followed the resources-based view. This view matches the countries plan to move from Oil to non-Oil economy that relies on innovation and human creativity as a key source of wealth. Transforming the economy from the resource view to the knowledge view requires a systemic prospective that addresses the organizational, and personal perspectives beside the technical/resource view. The former two perspectives offer deep insight on cultural, institutional, and political factors that shape the design and implementation of innovation, while the later perspective demonstrate the resources available for such innovation. Linstone’s Multiple Perspective Theory (1981 & 2010) synthesizing this trio perspectives and points out the ecosystem complexity and mechanisms. Accordingly, this thesis presents a knowledge-based framework of Innovation Ecosystems based on Linstone’s systemic view that helps understand the UAE Start-up innovation. Using a case study of the Khalifa Fund, the study analyses UAE’s innovation and ecosystem’s enablers and barriers, targeting three vital sectors, including IT/software start-ups, Non-carbon/Green Production, and life-science sectors. The researcher followed Charmaz’s (2008) Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) as a design for the research process and theory building. A conceptual framework is built based on the literature review. Then, a concurrent mixed methods approach in two stages (qualitative + quantitative) have been conducted to triangulate semi-structured interviews and exploratory survey. The results of this triangulation have been contrasted against the factors included in the conceptual framework to build a final theoretical framework. The interviews targeted 21 policymakers (Government officials), Khalifa fund practitioners (top and middle Managers) and Universities Innovation consultants. In parallel, an inclusive sample of 60 surveys have been allocated to all current owners of start-ups (entrepreneurs) in the three sectors. Beforehand, an archival analysis has been conducted to develop deep narratives of the fund’s activities, challenges, and overall innovation environment. The research findings point out the multiple perspective theory as a lens to understand the meta-governance and the complexity of knowledge-based innovation ecosystem in non-oil-based gulf context. The agency principle for the UAE decision markers positions the government as a key player towards the innovation strategizing and governance. Accordingly, issues of women representation in the innovation ecosystems were present in the research findings. Issues of firm legitimacy and resource orchestration/marshalling were perceived differently between the policy makers and start-ups owners or innovators. This led to the discovery for innovation factors to be included in an advanced theoretical framework 2. This framework maps the complexity and interactivity of innovation knowledge within the institutional level (at Khalifa Fund), the international level, and the Gulf regional level. Empirical contribution is presented for policy makers and Khalifa Fund officials on how to maintain a meta-innovation ecosystem by capturing the technological advances and facilitate the imports and legal licencing for start-ups. Organisational recommendations are also discussed in terms of enhancing innovation learning and education for current and potential entrepreneurs who aim to innovate products, services, processes, or routines. Personal recommendations are also presented for start-ups owners on how to engage with the policymakers in developing a foresight and a meta-innovation ecosystem

The Contingent Effects of Value Creation Processes on Project Value–An Empirical Analysis from Project Managers’ Perspective

Projects are seen as platforms for bringing changes that may create value for stakeholders. There are two main schools of thought on the value creation processes; one based on transactional exchange theories and the other on relations-based theories. The former focus on value creation through reduction of transactional costs, while the latter emphasises addressing project stakeholder’s needs through establishing close interactions with involved parties. Accordingly, this research examines effects on project value of the two value creation processes for project delivery: independent value creation– where the firm relies on its capabilities and expertise to deliver the project, without the need for seeking collaboration from other firms; and value co-creation– where the firm and key stakeholders collaborate to deliver the project based on close relationships. Extant studies have conceptually identified the effects on project value of both value creation processes. Nevertheless, there is a little empirical investigation of these effects. Hence, the main objective of this research is to investigate how both processes of value creation affect project value and the moderating effects of two critical contingent variables –requirements uncertainty and project complexity– on the relationship between value creation processes and project value. The study employs a deductive approach to fulfil this aim, and applies a cross-sectional survey to collect data; 168 valid responses from Chilean project managers were returned. A multivariate analysis using PLS-SEM was conducted to validate the conceptual framework and to test the hypotheses. Contributing to literature, the findings demonstrate that both value creation processes impact jointly on project value, and these impacts are moderated by the current level of requirements uncertainty and project complexity. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. Directions for future research are elaborated

Corporate Governance During Market Transition: Heterogeneous Responses to Institutional Tensions in China

Corporate governance in transition economies does not fit in the dominant normative models. China embodies institutional tensions between an inherited system of political governance and new laws transplanted from Western countries that empower external shareholders on capital markets. The two empirical studies in this dissertation apply set theoretic methods on large samples of Chinese listed firms to uncover the causal complexity involved in corporate governance problems, focusing on the complementarities, functional equivalence and causal asymmetry. The first study analyses the configurations that facilitate and deter the most salient governance problem: the diversion of cash flow from the firm by controlling shareholders through tunneling. The second study analyses the diversity of governance forms in successful firms, including politically embedded firms, those that rely on outsider control systems resembling the Anglo-American model, as well as creative hybrid forms. The dissertation shows that, even in transition economies, property rights matter for allocating decision making rights between large and minority shareholders. Also, political connections matter, but not as much as is commonly assumed since many private firms operate profitably without any political ties. Finally, the thesis commands caution regarding the role of independent directors, who not only fail to provide effective monitoring on insiders, but often facilitate collusion easing tunneling behavior

Towards a dynamic regional innovation system : investigation into the electronics industry in the Pearl River Delta, China

[no abstract

Development of Knowledge Economy Framework in the Life Science Sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Natural resources-based income economies (Rentier economies) often suffer from a weak productive manufacturing base and low revenue and tax generation from these products and services. The prices of natural resources, such as oil and gas, change and fluctuate over time which poses a risk to national income and impedes the development of longer-term diversification/innovation strategies. It is these conditions which provide the context of this research into the current national policies to develop the “high value added” life sciences sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study adopts a grounded theory approach to the national innovation systems for the life sciences sector in the KSA. Little is known about the models employed and the current state of system development for the country and whether it varies from other such models. An initial literature review to frame the study was conducted on Innovation models to form a conceptual framework (India, Singapore, Taiwan, and South Korea). Field research was conducted and later a second systematic literature review was used to build theory and test the similarities/differences with the emerging KSA model (created by political, social, economic and industrial contingencies). The guiding research questions were:- What are the key requirements in developing knowledge economy (KE) in the life science (LS) sector in KSA?- What are the challenges in developing knowledge economy (KE) in LS in the KSA?- What model of innovation system best fits the Saudi context?Semi-structured in depth interviews (purposive sample) were conducted with senior stakeholders in the life science sector (government, private sector, and academia, ministry of health) to develop new theory. Through a three-stage open coding process including axial coding and selective coding, the findings revealed the challenges for developing an innovative LS system in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was developed to triangulate the earlier findings. The study finds that the KSA model differs from existing Innovation Models (India, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) and creates a new insight into innovation in an Islamic context. It is recommended that this model be tested against similar contexts like Arabic Gulf countries (GCC) in future work

The effects of intra-organisational collaboration in reducing uncertainties for enhancing the performance of innovation projects : the role of organisational learning

Innovation is essential for business prosperity and a major driver of success and sustainability in today’s world. The history of organisation-level innovation projects (products, services and processes) is rich with cases of great ideas that failed to be realised as well as those creative ideas that ended in remarkable success. The rate of reported failure of innovation projects is however, much higher than reported success. Innovation project uncertainty is considered a key reason for innovation project failure (García-Quevedo et al. 2018). Scholars in innovation management studies confirm that uncertainty is a natural and intrinsically inherent characteristic of innovation projects (Roper & Tapinos 2016; Um & Kim 2018). A knowledge gap about how to reduce uncertainty in order to enhance innovation project performance however, persists. Indeed, extant research on managing innovation projects is for the most part theoretical and lacks empirical evidence regarding effective organisational practices that reduce innovation project uncertainty for successful project performance. This research responds to this lack of empirical evidence by proposing intra-organisational collaboration as an organisational practice, and empirically examining its impact on reducing innovation project uncertainty and improving innovation project performance, whilst considering the mediation role of organisational learning in this relationship. Based on a systematic literature review, this research develops a comprehensive conceptual framework that assesses the relationships between intra-organisational collaboration, organisational learning, innovation project uncertainty reduction and innovation project performance in the context of innovation projects. The thesis draws on the three most common sources of innovation project uncertainty: task, market and technological in examining how innovation project uncertainty can be reduced through intra-organisational collaboration. Additionally, it integrates previous studies to conceptualise intra-organisational collaboration as a multi-dimensional construct made up of by five sub-constructs: collaborative relationship, collaborative leadership, communication and sharing information, trust formation, and commitment. The findings of this research offer several insights into the context of innovation projects. First these findings highlight the need for organisations to embed collaborative practices in their project’s environment. This research found that collaborative practices operated dialectically in enhancing organisational learning and enabled project members to manage complicated tasks, foresee future demand and market changes as well as solve technological problems. These collaborative practices allowed project members to successfully reduce innovation project uncertainty and enhance project performance

Simulating academic entrepreneurship and inter-organisational collaboration in university ecosystems, a hybrid system dynamics agent-based simulation

Universities are increasingly expected to actively contribute to socio-economic development. Academic entrepreneurship and the evolution of the entrepreneurial university within ecosystems have received increasing attention from both policymakers and academic communities over the last decades. However, most studies on universities' external engagement have focused on individual activities and single universities, hereby neglecting the feedback effects between different activities and how universities are linked through an overlap of their ecosystems. The result is an incomplete understanding of how universities interact with their ecosystem and the resulting inter- and intra-organisational dynamics. This research addresses this issue by developing a hybrid system dynamics agent-based model, which captures feedback structure and the internal decision-making of universities and companies. Both the conceptual and simulation model are based on a triangulation of the literature, interviews with representatives of Scottish universities, and secondary data for Scottish universities and UK businesses. This research makes several theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, it contributes in two distinct ways to the field of entrepreneurship by defining university ecosystems in new way that provides a basis for future research and developing a multi-modal simulation model that can be applied in tested in different contexts. The methodological contributions to the field of modelling and simulation in management science include a modelling process for hybrid simulations, new practices for modelling the size of agent populations through different designs of stocks and flows in the system dynamics module in hybrid simulations, and complex events for recognising emergent behaviour. Lastly, this research makes two empirical contributions to the field of entrepreneurship. This research shines a light on the dynamics of academic entrepreneurship and how universities can partially overcome a low research prestige to increase academic entrepreneurship. Implications for policy and practice are outlined and opportunities for future research conclude this thesis.Universities are increasingly expected to actively contribute to socio-economic development. Academic entrepreneurship and the evolution of the entrepreneurial university within ecosystems have received increasing attention from both policymakers and academic communities over the last decades. However, most studies on universities' external engagement have focused on individual activities and single universities, hereby neglecting the feedback effects between different activities and how universities are linked through an overlap of their ecosystems. The result is an incomplete understanding of how universities interact with their ecosystem and the resulting inter- and intra-organisational dynamics. This research addresses this issue by developing a hybrid system dynamics agent-based model, which captures feedback structure and the internal decision-making of universities and companies. Both the conceptual and simulation model are based on a triangulation of the literature, interviews with representatives of Scottish universities, and secondary data for Scottish universities and UK businesses. This research makes several theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, it contributes in two distinct ways to the field of entrepreneurship by defining university ecosystems in new way that provides a basis for future research and developing a multi-modal simulation model that can be applied in tested in different contexts. The methodological contributions to the field of modelling and simulation in management science include a modelling process for hybrid simulations, new practices for modelling the size of agent populations through different designs of stocks and flows in the system dynamics module in hybrid simulations, and complex events for recognising emergent behaviour. Lastly, this research makes two empirical contributions to the field of entrepreneurship. This research shines a light on the dynamics of academic entrepreneurship and how universities can partially overcome a low research prestige to increase academic entrepreneurship. Implications for policy and practice are outlined and opportunities for future research conclude this thesis