Dynamic capabilities and the entrepreneurial university: a perspective on the knowledge transfer capabilities of universities

Abstract

In the knowledge economy, universities have a vital and growing role in supporting innovation and facilitating regional economic development through the addition of a 'third mission' of knowledge transfer activities to the core missions of teaching and academic research. Knowledge transfer capabilities appear to be influenced by the dynamic capabilities and culture of the host university. To date, knowledge transfer activities of universities have proven difficult to quantify with comparisons between institutions problematic. This paper addresses this gap in two ways. Firstly, the use of a ratio of published metrics gives greater insight into the relative degree of collaboration between universities and industry. Secondly, this research derives a measure of dynamic capabilities in Irish universities and correlates it with previously unpublished data on technology and knowledge transfer performance. The research finds a high correlation between universities with strong dynamic capabilities and their success in these dimensions of knowledge transfer.

Keywords: entrepreneurial university; dynamic capabilities; knowledge transfer; innovation culture

Dans l'économie de la connaissance, les universités ont un rôle essentiel et croissant l'innovation de soutien et en facilitant le développement économique régional par l'addition d'une 'troisième mission' des activités de transfert de la connaissance aux missions de noyau de l'enseignement et de la recherche scolaire. Les capacités de transfert de la connaissance semblent Átre influencées par les capacités et la culture dynamiques de l'universitéde centre serveur. Jusqu'à présent, les activités de transfert de la connaissance des universités ont prouvé difficile à mesurer avec des comparaisons entre les établissements problématiques. Ce document adresse cete space de deux manières. Premièrement, l'utilisation d'un rapport de la métrique éditée donne une plus grande analyse dans le degré relatif de collaboration entre les universités et l'industrie. Deuxièmement, cette recherche dériveune mesure de capacités dynamiques aux universités irlandaises et la corrèle avec desdonnées précédemment non publiées sur l'interprétation de transfert de technologie et deconnaissance. La recherche trouve une corrélation élevée entre les universités avec descapacités dynamiques fortes et leur succès dans ces dimensions de transfert de la connaissance.

Mots-clés:

• Université entreprenante
• Capacités dynamiques
• Transfert de la connaissance
• Culture d'innovation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Table 1. ‘Innovation quotient’ building blocks, descriptions and factors (Rao and Weintraub, 2013).

Table 2. Triangulation of source data.

Table 3. 2014 Ireland Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey (AKTS) data normalized per €10 million investment.

Table 4. Dynamic capabilities linked to innovation quotient.

Online:

http://www.autm.net/resources-surveys/research-reports-databases/licensing-surveys/

http://www.astp-proton.eu/resource-center/publications/

http://www.knowledgetransferireland.com/About_KTI/Reports-Publications/KTI-Annual-Report-and-Annual-Knowledge-Transfer-Survey-2014.pdf

https://www.nyu.edu/about/leadership-university-administration/office-of-the-president-emeritus/communications/global-network-university-reflection.html

https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/National-Policy-Statement-on-Entrepreneurship-in-Ireland-2014.html

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Noel M. O’Reilly

Noel O’Reilly is a PhD candidate in the Department of Design Innovation at Maynooth University, Ireland under the supervision of Dr. Peter Robbins. Noel obtained a BSc in analytical science and a M.Sc. in management from Dublin City University. Noel’s research interests include the entrepreneurial university, strategic management, innovation and design thinking. His current research is a phenomenological study of the development of entrepreneurial capabilities within Irish universities. Noel also works as a global strategic account manager in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Peter Robbins

Dr. Peter Robbins is one of Ireland’s foremost experts in innovation and new product and service development. His area of research is how firms organize for innovation. He is head of the Department of Design Innovation in Maynooth University. He has published in R&D Management, the Irish Journal of Management, International Journal of Innovation Management, London Strategy Review and regularly speaks at international conferences on the subject of managing creativity and innovation.