Will the Center Hold? What Research Centers Do to Universities and to Societal Challenges
Benner, Mats LU and Hylmö, Anders LU
(2024)
In Innovation, Technology and Knowledge Management
Part F2013.
p.123-140
- Abstract
Research centers represent a specific organizational format for linking the traditional university organization with external actors, goals, and processes in time-limited, concentrated efforts of research and collaboration. Yet, the center format contains large variations, and centers act as interfaces between university organizations, societal actors, and research funders in multifaceted ways. In this chapter, we focus analytically on the organizational structuration of universities and the influence of external funding on the steering of work modes and orientations of academic research. We ask what centers do, how they affect universities’ operations, and why some centers are more successful than others in their missions. We address... (More)
Research centers represent a specific organizational format for linking the traditional university organization with external actors, goals, and processes in time-limited, concentrated efforts of research and collaboration. Yet, the center format contains large variations, and centers act as interfaces between university organizations, societal actors, and research funders in multifaceted ways. In this chapter, we focus analytically on the organizational structuration of universities and the influence of external funding on the steering of work modes and orientations of academic research. We ask what centers do, how they affect universities’ operations, and why some centers are more successful than others in their missions. We address these questions through an analysis of six centers within the 10-year Vinn Excellence and Berzelii center schemes run by the Swedish innovation Agency Vinnova, drawing on interviews, evaluation reports, and a broad range of archival data. We highlight great variations in how universities are influenced by center funding, which is most effective when aligned with internal university strategies. Center success depends on the fit and integration of internal and external ambitions, university strategies, and partner orientations. However, such alignment is merely reinforced, rather than altered, by external center support.
(Less)
- author
- Benner, Mats
LU
and Hylmö, Anders
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Governance, Higher education institutions, Organization, Research funding, Steering
- host publication
- Making Universities Matter
- series title
- Innovation, Technology and Knowledge Management
- editor
- Mattsson, P. ; Perez Vico, E. and Salö, L.
- volume
- Part F2013
- pages
- 18 pages
- publisher
- Springer Gabler
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85180819999
- ISSN
- 2197-5701
- 2197-5698
- ISBN
- 978-3-031-48798-9
- 978-3-031-48799-6
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-031-48799-6_6
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2c47004d-aa13-4a36-80f8-1b1112576054
- date added to LUP
- 2024-02-06 11:52:14
- date last changed
- 2024-04-22 18:56:05
@inbook{2c47004d-aa13-4a36-80f8-1b1112576054,
abstract = {{<p>Research centers represent a specific organizational format for linking the traditional university organization with external actors, goals, and processes in time-limited, concentrated efforts of research and collaboration. Yet, the center format contains large variations, and centers act as interfaces between university organizations, societal actors, and research funders in multifaceted ways. In this chapter, we focus analytically on the organizational structuration of universities and the influence of external funding on the steering of work modes and orientations of academic research. We ask what centers do, how they affect universities’ operations, and why some centers are more successful than others in their missions. We address these questions through an analysis of six centers within the 10-year Vinn Excellence and Berzelii center schemes run by the Swedish innovation Agency Vinnova, drawing on interviews, evaluation reports, and a broad range of archival data. We highlight great variations in how universities are influenced by center funding, which is most effective when aligned with internal university strategies. Center success depends on the fit and integration of internal and external ambitions, university strategies, and partner orientations. However, such alignment is merely reinforced, rather than altered, by external center support.</p>}},
author = {{Benner, Mats and Hylmö, Anders}},
booktitle = {{Making Universities Matter}},
editor = {{Mattsson, P. and Perez Vico, E. and Salö, L.}},
isbn = {{978-3-031-48798-9}},
issn = {{2197-5701}},
keywords = {{Governance; Higher education institutions; Organization; Research funding; Steering}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{123--140}},
publisher = {{Springer Gabler}},
series = {{Innovation, Technology and Knowledge Management}},
title = {{Will the Center Hold? What Research Centers Do to Universities and to Societal Challenges}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48799-6_6}},
doi = {{10.1007/978-3-031-48799-6_6}},
volume = {{Part F2013}},
year = {{2024}},
}