The interplay of cognitive and relational social capital dimensions in university-industry collaboration: Overcoming the experience barrier

Marianne Steinmo and Einar Rasmussen

Research Policy, 2018, vol. 47, issue 10, 1964-1974

Abstract: The use of university-industry collaboration in the innovation process is viewed as a major driver of firm competitiveness. The organizational dynamics underlying successful external relationships, however, remain poorly understood. Using longitudinal case studies of 15 innovation projects, we examine how firms with varying degrees of experience in collaborating with universities and public research organizations rely on different social capital dimensions to achieve successful collaborations. We find that experienced firms establish external collaborations on the basis of cognitive social capital, but this basis is reinforced by relational social capital over time. Conversely, less experienced firms initially base their university collaborations on relational social capital, which is reinforced by cognitive social capital over time. Based on these findings, we theorize on the interplay of different dimensions of social capital in university-industry collaborations over time. Our study has important implications for the management of collaborative innovation projects. In particular, it provides guidance to enable less experienced firms to develop successful collaborations with university partners.

Keywords: Innovation projects; Cognitive social capital; Relational social capital; University-industry collaboration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D02 D83 L14 O32 O38 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (30)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:respol:v:47:y:2018:i:10:p:1964-1974

DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2018.07.004

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