On Cooperation Between the Business Community and Academia with the Science Park as Intermediary Environment and Actor
(2004)- Abstract
- The aim of this thesis is to examine interaction between the business community and academia, and consider the Science Park as a brokering environment and actor.
The bulk of park-oriented research, like park-related practice, is based on network theory and thinking. Taking such an approach, it is natural to study the intensity and nature of the interactions of the involved parties – in this case, the business community and academia. In practice, this allows us, in designing Science Parks, to create conditions that enable physical proximity and frequent encounters between the involved parties. However, problems still remain in the form of institutional gaps between the parties; a different approach is needed if we are to... (More) - The aim of this thesis is to examine interaction between the business community and academia, and consider the Science Park as a brokering environment and actor.
The bulk of park-oriented research, like park-related practice, is based on network theory and thinking. Taking such an approach, it is natural to study the intensity and nature of the interactions of the involved parties – in this case, the business community and academia. In practice, this allows us, in designing Science Parks, to create conditions that enable physical proximity and frequent encounters between the involved parties. However, problems still remain in the form of institutional gaps between the parties; a different approach is needed if we are to grasp and expand our knowledge of such aspects. A combination of inter-organisational and new institutional theory has been applied in this study, leading to a number of conclusions.
Trans-field interactions constitute a special case, insofar as involved parties act on the basis of disparate rules, standards and values. This can in turn lead to the parties having divergent interaction-related interests and assumptions, which are intimately bound up with their interpretations and translations of the idea of interaction. Three different types of interactions are identified: informal interaction, customer–consultant-related co-operation, and research-based co-operation. Different interpretations of “interaction” can lead to different expectations of both the process and the results, a situation that can cause problems in co-operation.
A Science Park plays a role in linking the business and academic communities. A distinction must, however, be drawn between the park as a brokering environment and the park as a brokering actor. The study indicates that an apt mix of activities must be set up in relation to the nature of the park environment. The study also indicates that the brokering role can be developed further by identifying and clarifying the involved parties’ points of departure and institutional characteristics, and by providing support systems suited to the type of interaction in question. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract in Swedish
Det är dans i parken ikväll: Om samverkan mellan näringsliv och akademi med forskningsparken som mäklande miljö och aktör
Många anser att gapet mellan näringsliv och akademi behöver överbryggas. I olika sammanhang konstateras dock att det finns svårigheter att få till stånd täta relationer parterna emellan. Därför har en rad olika initiativ tagits för att underlätta länkningen. Tillkomsten av forskningsparker i närheten av ett universitet eller en högskola är populära och sällan ifrågasatta satsningar. Ett antal studier ifrågasätter dock om parkerna verkligen har någon påtaglig interaktionshöjande effekt. En stor del av den parkrelaterade forskningen liksom den parkrelaterade... (More) - Popular Abstract in Swedish
Det är dans i parken ikväll: Om samverkan mellan näringsliv och akademi med forskningsparken som mäklande miljö och aktör
Många anser att gapet mellan näringsliv och akademi behöver överbryggas. I olika sammanhang konstateras dock att det finns svårigheter att få till stånd täta relationer parterna emellan. Därför har en rad olika initiativ tagits för att underlätta länkningen. Tillkomsten av forskningsparker i närheten av ett universitet eller en högskola är populära och sällan ifrågasatta satsningar. Ett antal studier ifrågasätter dock om parkerna verkligen har någon påtaglig interaktionshöjande effekt. En stor del av den parkrelaterade forskningen liksom den parkrelaterade praktiken präglas av ett nätverkstänkande. Med en sådan utgångspunkt är det naturligt att studera interaktionernas intensitet och karaktär och att i praktiken skapa förutsättningar som möjliggör fysisk närhet och frekventa möten. I denna studie används istället en kombination av interorganisatorisk teori och nyinstitutionell teori, vilket resulterar i ett delvis nytt sätt att tolka och förstå interaktionen och parkens intermediära/mäklande roll.
Olikartade regler, normer och värderingar gör att parterna har olikartade utgångspunkter, vilket förklarar hinder för samarbete. Institutionella variationer inom fälten ger vidare förståelse för varför vissa företag och forskare har intresse och förmåga att arbeta fältöverskridande, medan andra inte har det. Studien påvisar också förekomsten av olika typer av interorganisatoriska relationer: informell samverkan, kund–konsult-förhållanden och forskningsbaserat samarbete. Dessa olika typer av relationer kräver olika slags stöd. I studien analyseras i detta sammanhang forskningsparkens interaktionsfrämjande stöd med utgångspunkt från två olika dimensioner: parkmiljön och parken som aktör. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/21673
- author
- Erfors, Agneta LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Assoc. Prof Löfsten, Hans, Chalmers University of Technology
- organization
- publishing date
- 2004
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Interaction, Broker, New Institutional Theory, Organisationsteori, Interorganisational Relationships, Organizational science, Science Park, Academia, Business Community
- pages
- 343 pages
- publisher
- Lund Business Press
- defense location
- Ekonomicentrum, Lund University
- defense date
- 2004-05-26 13:00:00
- ISBN
- 91-85113-02-6
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 23ab0bea-ffa8-4015-bb04-bc3577c28c00 (old id 21673)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 09:57:00
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 20:55:49
@phdthesis{23ab0bea-ffa8-4015-bb04-bc3577c28c00,
abstract = {{The aim of this thesis is to examine interaction between the business community and academia, and consider the Science Park as a brokering environment and actor.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The bulk of park-oriented research, like park-related practice, is based on network theory and thinking. Taking such an approach, it is natural to study the intensity and nature of the interactions of the involved parties – in this case, the business community and academia. In practice, this allows us, in designing Science Parks, to create conditions that enable physical proximity and frequent encounters between the involved parties. However, problems still remain in the form of institutional gaps between the parties; a different approach is needed if we are to grasp and expand our knowledge of such aspects. A combination of inter-organisational and new institutional theory has been applied in this study, leading to a number of conclusions.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Trans-field interactions constitute a special case, insofar as involved parties act on the basis of disparate rules, standards and values. This can in turn lead to the parties having divergent interaction-related interests and assumptions, which are intimately bound up with their interpretations and translations of the idea of interaction. Three different types of interactions are identified: informal interaction, customer–consultant-related co-operation, and research-based co-operation. Different interpretations of “interaction” can lead to different expectations of both the process and the results, a situation that can cause problems in co-operation.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
A Science Park plays a role in linking the business and academic communities. A distinction must, however, be drawn between the park as a brokering environment and the park as a brokering actor. The study indicates that an apt mix of activities must be set up in relation to the nature of the park environment. The study also indicates that the brokering role can be developed further by identifying and clarifying the involved parties’ points of departure and institutional characteristics, and by providing support systems suited to the type of interaction in question.}},
author = {{Erfors, Agneta}},
isbn = {{91-85113-02-6}},
keywords = {{Interaction; Broker; New Institutional Theory; Organisationsteori; Interorganisational Relationships; Organizational science; Science Park; Academia; Business Community}},
language = {{swe}},
publisher = {{Lund Business Press}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{On Cooperation Between the Business Community and Academia with the Science Park as Intermediary Environment and Actor}},
year = {{2004}},
}