Title: Energising R&D accumulation and innovation diffusion: an intermediary model of integrating industry-university collaborations

Authors: Wen-Hsiang Lai, Chien-Tzu Tsai

Addresses: Graduate Institute of Management of Technology, Feng Chia University, 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan. ' Graduate Institute of Management of Technology, Feng Chia University, 100, Wenhwa Rd., Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan

Abstract: In order to scale up industrial and national competitiveness, it is essential to energise the R&D accumulation and innovation diffusion from the basis of Industry-University Collaboration (IUC). Although vast literature exists on constructing and discussing IUC models, the gap between universities and industries seems to remain unfulfilled. This study retraces the academic literature on IUC and examines four countries| innovation systems (USA, Japan, UK and China). This study finds that the regulation, organisation, education and inducement are critical components to integrate IUCs. Also, in order to speed the practice of IUC, it is necessary to have an intermediary model which provides opportunities to universities and industries for fulfilling the requirements of supply and demand. Therefore, this study constructs an intermediary model and the concepts of |Virtual R&D Organisation (VRO)| and R&D |Service Organisation (SO)| are introduced as agents to enforce the collaborative magnetism of universities and industries.

Keywords: industry-university collaboration; IUC; research and development; virtual R&D; innovation; diffusion; higher education; universities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2010.029430

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2010 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.150 - 165

Published online: 30 Nov 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article