Title: What drives partners in industry-academia cooperation? A special consideration of reducing uncertainty through computational chemistry

Authors: Benjamin Niedergassel, Clive-Steven Curran, Michael Leßing, Jens Leker

Addresses: Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Munster, Leonardo-Campus 1, 48149 Munster, Germany. ' Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Munster, Leonardo-Campus 1, 48149 Munster, Germany. ' Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Munster, Leonardo-Campus 1, 48149 Munster, Germany. ' Institute of Business Administration at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Munster, Leonardo-Campus 1, 48149 Munster, Germany

Abstract: A high degree of uncertainty is an inherent characteristic of innovation processes. In the chemical and pharmaceutical industry firms have traditionally relied on experimental trial and error in their R&D strategy. Against this background, computational chemistry provides the possibility to streamline the R&D process and accelerate development times. In this setting we employ a sample of 148 respondents to identify different types of scientists with respect to their attitudes towards industry-academia cooperation. We find two significantly distinct groups: |The Pure Scientist| and |The Pure Cooperator|. The characteristics of these types are further described and managerial implications are discussed.

Keywords: research and development; R&D; innovation management; industry-academia cooperation; computational chemistry; molecular materials modelling; uncertainty; motivation; industrial collaboration; university collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTIP.2007.016304

International Journal of Technology Intelligence and Planning, 2007 Vol.3 No.4, pp.331 - 342

Published online: 16 Dec 2007 *

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