University-industry innovation community dynamics and knowledge transfer: Evidence from China

Wenjing Wang and Shan Lu

Technovation, 2021, vol. 106, issue C

Abstract: Much of the emphasis on university-industry (U–I) knowledge transfer has been on facilitating dyadic interactions between universities and firms. However, merely a few studies have investigated knowledge transfer from a community-based innovation perspective. This research unveils the explicit structure and dynamic characteristics of U–I communities and examines the relationship between community dynamics and university knowledge transfer. The results indicate that U–I innovation communities in China present single- and multi-center structures and are evolving from “localizing” to “specializing”. Using membership turnover as a means of measuring community dynamics, we discover that community dynamics significantly affect university knowledge transfer in a curvilinear manner. Moreover, this inverted U-shaped relationship is moderated by a university's within-community position. The results of the other variables show that geographical distance does not significantly affect community-based knowledge transfer, while knowledge diversity positively contributes towards knowledge transfer performance. Our findings advance the innovation community theory by mapping social network mechanisms into community generation, evolution, and knowledge transfer. Notable practical implications are provided for U–I innovation community stakeholders and practitioners who engage in knowledge commercialization and innovation.

Keywords: Community dynamics; Knowledge transfer; University-industry collaboration; Joint patent application (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:techno:v:106:y:2021:i:c:s0166497221000869

DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102305

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