On collaboration between academia and practice for research and innovation: A pilot study for BillerudKorsnäs
Olander Roese, Malin LU and Batingan Paredes, Karla Marie LU
(2015)
- Abstract
- Collaboration between academia and industry is believed important for innovation: industry needs academic expertise and know-how and academics need empirical data, test beds and more. So what needs to be improved?
A pilot study conducted for BillerudKorsnäs confirms findings in previous research: the main challenge to industry-academia collaboration is the lack of mutual understanding of each other’s needs, expectations and output. However, despite the clear importance of mutual understanding, there are few suggestions in the literature how to improve the situation beyond checklists for collaboration.
The pilot study addresses issues of how to find sharp research tasks that are relevant to both... (More) - Collaboration between academia and industry is believed important for innovation: industry needs academic expertise and know-how and academics need empirical data, test beds and more. So what needs to be improved?
A pilot study conducted for BillerudKorsnäs confirms findings in previous research: the main challenge to industry-academia collaboration is the lack of mutual understanding of each other’s needs, expectations and output. However, despite the clear importance of mutual understanding, there are few suggestions in the literature how to improve the situation beyond checklists for collaboration.
The pilot study addresses issues of how to find sharp research tasks that are relevant to both parties, how to bridge cultural differences and different demands, and what kind of interaction model to aim for? Based on a literature review, interviews with accomplished academics at Lund University and practitioners from BillerudKorsnäs, the conclusions drawn in summary are:
• Finding a good research builds on mutual understanding of different needs, combining industry problems with issues relevant for developing the greater knowledge base (theory).
• Bridging cultural and other differences is best done through a greater “understanding of each other’s worlds,” spending time together, building trust, and improving communication through key persons from both sides who play the role of “translators” or “liaison officers.”
• Finding the best interaction model (i.e. PhD, consortia etc) requires time and other resources to address needs, research goals and expectations, team members, responsibilities, and not least: deliverables. There is no one model, but as a general rule, long-term strategic collaboration efforts are found more fruitful based on an equal partner approach where learning is at the core.
Furthermore, the authors of the study suggest that an important step forward, for a firm who wishes to collaborate with academia, is to develop a visual tool to facilitate mutual understanding. Drawing from previous and more recent findings, one such tool could be a further development of the so-called Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) model, or other generic models for project, process, or product development. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5471009
- author
- Olander Roese, Malin
LU
and Batingan Paredes, Karla Marie
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2015
- type
- Book/Report
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- University-Industry collaboration, Innovation
- publisher
- Division of Innovation Engineering
- ISBN
- 978-91-7623-405-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 93e08b24-209d-4240-ab68-1d03f953be0f (old id 5471009)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 10:40:36
- date last changed
- 2021-03-06 02:27:57
@techreport{93e08b24-209d-4240-ab68-1d03f953be0f,
abstract = {{Collaboration between academia and industry is believed important for innovation: industry needs academic expertise and know-how and academics need empirical data, test beds and more. So what needs to be improved?<br/><br>
<br/><br>
A pilot study conducted for BillerudKorsnäs confirms findings in previous research: the main challenge to industry-academia collaboration is the lack of mutual understanding of each other’s needs, expectations and output. However, despite the clear importance of mutual understanding, there are few suggestions in the literature how to improve the situation beyond checklists for collaboration. <br/><br>
<br/><br>
The pilot study addresses issues of how to find sharp research tasks that are relevant to both parties, how to bridge cultural differences and different demands, and what kind of interaction model to aim for? Based on a literature review, interviews with accomplished academics at Lund University and practitioners from BillerudKorsnäs, the conclusions drawn in summary are: <br/><br>
<br/><br>
• Finding a good research builds on mutual understanding of different needs, combining industry problems with issues relevant for developing the greater knowledge base (theory). <br/><br>
• Bridging cultural and other differences is best done through a greater “understanding of each other’s worlds,” spending time together, building trust, and improving communication through key persons from both sides who play the role of “translators” or “liaison officers.” <br/><br>
• Finding the best interaction model (i.e. PhD, consortia etc) requires time and other resources to address needs, research goals and expectations, team members, responsibilities, and not least: deliverables. There is no one model, but as a general rule, long-term strategic collaboration efforts are found more fruitful based on an equal partner approach where learning is at the core.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Furthermore, the authors of the study suggest that an important step forward, for a firm who wishes to collaborate with academia, is to develop a visual tool to facilitate mutual understanding. Drawing from previous and more recent findings, one such tool could be a further development of the so-called Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) model, or other generic models for project, process, or product development.}},
author = {{Olander Roese, Malin and Batingan Paredes, Karla Marie}},
institution = {{Division of Innovation Engineering}},
isbn = {{978-91-7623-405-1}},
keywords = {{University-Industry collaboration; Innovation}},
language = {{eng}},
title = {{On collaboration between academia and practice for research and innovation: A pilot study for BillerudKorsnäs}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5595109/5471030.pdf}},
year = {{2015}},
}