Bridging the gap: Industrial PhD supervisors as hidden architects of collaborative value

Elise Ratier (), Quentin Plantec (), Benjamin Cabanes (), Pascal Le Masson () and Benoit Weil ()
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Elise Ratier: CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Quentin Plantec: CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, INPI - Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle
Benjamin Cabanes: Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, CRG I3 - Centre de recherche en gestion I3 - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Pascal Le Masson: CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Benoit Weil: CGS i3 - Centre de Gestion Scientifique i3 - Mines Paris - PSL (École nationale supérieure des mines de Paris) - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: This study investigates the micro-foundations of university-industry collaborations (UIC) through the lens of industrial PhD supervisors in France, focusing on the CIFRE program. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyze a unique dataset of 24,365 CIFRE agreements and 6,209 supervisor profiles complemented by 23 semi-structured interviews. Our findings reveal that the supervisors' prior exposure to academia significantly influences their strategies for engaging with industrial PhDs and the types of value they derive. PhD graduates are more likely to specialize in repeat supervision, leveraging their academic networks to explore innovative research avenues and integrate knowledge into R&D departments. Conversely, non-PhDs often engage in supervision as a means to address specific organizational challenges or gain internal legitimacy. Communities of practice and organizational routines play a pivotal role in sustaining the impact of these collaborations beyond individual projects, facilitating knowledge transfer and organizational learning. This work extends the literature on absorptive capacity, knowledge transfer, and boundary spanners by highlighting the diverse pathways and outcomes of industrial supervisors in UICs. It also provides actionable insights for firms seeking to optimize the integration of academic research into their innovation ecosystems.

Keywords: University-Industry Collaboration; Industrial PhD; Absorptive capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-06-21
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Published in EURAM, Jun 2025, Florence, Italy

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04996286

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