Balancing old and new organisational forms: changing dynamics of government, industry and university interaction in South Africa

Abstract

The paper considers changing triple helix relations in the South African context after 1994. The organisational form of university–industry partnership, stimulated by government incentives, is emerging. However, old and new organisational forms, shaped by a tension between financial and intellectual imperatives, co-exist in the shifting relationship between university, industry and government. The capacity to harness the potential of research for innovation by creating new institutional interface structures is evident on a significant scale in a small number of universities, and in isolated pockets in others. Old forms tend to prevail, and may have counter-productive implications. Creating new forms of knowledge-intensive networks requires analysis of the complex inter-dependence between firms, universities and government intermediaries. The paper considers implications for universities, arguing for a strategic balance of old and new forms of partnership across more institutions, taking into account the diversity of university contexts, knowledge fields, industrial sectors and technology platforms.

Keywords:

• university–industry partnership
• networks
• innovation
• triple helix
• South Africa

Notes

The research encompassed three distinct but linked studies: an audit of government incentivised research partnerships, a mapping of all forms of partnerships across the higher education sector, and case studies of the creation of knowledge networks.

Interviews were conducted with research directors, deans of relevant faculties, and ten research project leaders in the three fields. The interviews were structured along four dimensions: to determine conceptions of ‘partnership’, motivation for initiating partnership, coverage and contribution of each partner, and benefits from the products and outcomes. The interviews were analysed in the context of a profile prepared for each institution, which described its research culture – historical mission, strategic and research policy – its research structures – internal and external interface structures (Martin 2000) to promote research, innovation, technology transfer and partnership – and its research productivity.

It is notable that the universities do not have engineering faculties, with most partnerships concentrated in the Science Faculty.