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Balancing learning and knowledge protection in university-industry collaborations

Leena Kunttu (Vaasan Yliopisto, Vaasa, Finland)
Yrjö Neuvo (Aalto-yliopisto, Aalto, Finland)

The Learning Organization

ISSN: 0969-6474

Article publication date: 4 February 2019

Issue publication date: 4 February 2019

488

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the tension between learning and protection in university-industry relationships (UIRs) and, in particular, to identify practices that facilitate ways of coping with this tension.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical work for the study is based on a qualitative comparative case analysis of six successful, long-term relationships between industrial technology firms and university research groups in Finland.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that the development of mutual trust, based on personal-level relationships, adaptation and reaching a consensus about the utilization of research results represent the key processes that enable partners to balance learning and protection and lower the informational barriers within the collaboration.

Research limitations/implications

The case data have been collected from IT industry, in which the need for knowledge is changing rapidly and the need for learning is typically high. However, generalization of the results may need additional case studies including from other industrial areas.

Practical implications

The results highlight a rich set of practices that can support both industrial actors and academics in improving their engagement in collaboration and to facilitate successful knowledge creation and utilization in UIRs.

Originality/value

This study extends the existing literature on UIR learning by presenting organizational practices, which help UIR actors to balance learning and protection in their collaboration. Along with mutual trust and adaptation achieved in long-term personal relationships, these practices allow partners to overcome organizational barriers that result from different orientations, attitudes and incentives.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Financial support from Foundation for Economic Education as well as Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation are gratefully acknowledged.

Citation

Kunttu, L. and Neuvo, Y. (2019), "Balancing learning and knowledge protection in university-industry collaborations", The Learning Organization, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 190-204. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-06-2018-0103

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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