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HCTL Open International Journal of Technology Innovations and Research (IJTIR) http://ijtir.hctl.org Volume 14, April 2015 e-ISSN: 2321-1814, ISBN (Print): 978-1-62951-946-3

Agata Pierscieniak Collaboration between University and Business in Europe – Drivers and Barriers vs. Collaboration Key Factors for Future Perspective.

Collaboration between University and Business in Europe – Drivers and Barriers vs. Collaboration Key Factors for Future Perspective Agata Pierscieniak [email protected] Abstract Article is part of a discussion on the factors determining collaboration between universities and business in Europe. The author using the achievements of world literature on the main areas for the success of the collaboration has carried out in this respect the analysis of drivers and barriers, factors identifying university collaboration with business organizations in Europe (considered as a case study). The research methodology used in the analysis of morphological and force field analysis technique. The obtained results enable to assume the initial thesis that successful collaboration between science and business is determined by the specific configuration of the factors in the area of environment, membership, process / structure, communications, purpose. Keywords Collaboration factors, university, business organization, force field analysis, Europe.

Introduction Collaboration between science and practice is an important element of any university or research unit activity in the world. However, in different cultures, countries or regions, collaboration is carried out differently. In Europe, the cohesion policy is pursued. Main EU investment policy is addressed at all regions and cities in the European Union, and its aim is to promote employment, business competitiveness, economic growth and sustainable development, as well as improving the quality of life of citizens. To meet these targets and meet the different needs of the development of all EU regions, cohesion policy for 2014-2020 allocated 351.8 billion, which represents almost one-third of the total EU budget. The majority of funding under cohesion policy is focused on the less developed European countries and regions, so as to help them catch up with other countries and overcome the economic, social and territorial disparities that still exist in the EU. These include Bulgaria,



Estonia, Croatia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania also Poland [1]. In Poland for more than 10 years European funds are the source of the funding of activities that support the development of the country, not only in the economic or social areas, but also by supporting and developing mechanisms which in the future will allow to continue the development activities. Such mechanisms should be collaboration between universities and business. In the years 2014-2020 Poland will invest 82.5 billion from the EU cohesion policy [2]. These measures may be invested, inter alia, in research and its commercialization, the key road connections (motorways, expressways), entrepreneurship, environmentally friendly transport (rail, public transport), digitization of the country (broadband Internet access, e-government services) and social inclusion and professional activity. According to the Partnership Agreement [3] funds will be invested in these areas, which contribute most to the development of Poland. Among them: increasing the competitiveness of the economy, improvement of social and territorial cohesion of the country, raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the state. Biggest amount of funds shall be used for innovation and support of entrepreneurs. One of the key mechanisms, which are designed for financial support is collaboration, including the partnership between Universities and business organizations.

In light of the above it seems reasonable to raise questions: how does the collaboration of science with business look in Europe? Which promotes collaboration and what is blocking it? Which elements supporting collaboration between science and partners may be relied upon by partners and what may be some difficulties in the future? Are the factors of collaboration between universities and business identified on the basis of a case study Europe similar to the factors which are perceived as important achievements of the world literature?

The aim of this study is to present favorable forces and the forces blocking the mechanism for collaboration between universities and business in European countries diagnosed on the basis of the report Barriers and Drivers in the European University-Business Collaboration [4] for the success factors that have been identified in the scientific work Collaboration: what makes it work, whose the authors are P.W. Mattessich and B. R. Monsey [5].

It the study there have been used morphological analysis [6] and force field analysis technique of K. Lewin [7] allowing for a logical and comprehensive indication of forces that result from the performed deduction, reasoning and critical overview of the literature.

Models of Collaboration between University and Business

Collaboration as the activity of an organization is widespread but difficult to implement into practice. As a phenomenon it can be perceived in the context of the process [8], [9] and the relation [10], [11], [5]. In each area of analysis it is necessary to use a different area of knowledge and theory adapted to the context.

University and business collaboration analyzed from the perspective of creating relationships and involvement in the process of individual elements of the organization can be done at different levels. In the subject-matter literature, there are numerous models of collaboration between science and business.



Strategic Partnership

Join collaboration

Basic collaboration

Formation

Strategic relevance of relationship

Number /regularity of collaboration

Initial contact Open several projects/ irregular

One or several joint

activities /regular

One or several joint

activities /regular

Time orientation of collaboration

Interaction of short term activities

Short- /medium-term

Medium-/long-term

Long- term

Number of people involved

Few Few Multiple Multiple

Management level

Individual/Professor /Transfer

Agency

Individual/Professor

Faculty (Dean)

Organizational (Univ.

Manage)

Figure 1: The Stairway Model to Strategic Partnership

Source: [13] developed by David Serbin

According to K. Laine [12] most frequently they are based on case studies and the theory of the relationship between academia and industry is not a developed. Each one relates to a different scope and problem of collaboration. Particularly interesting is the model of The Stairway Model to Strategic Partnership, which can be considered as the creation of relationships at different levels, e.g. from the strategy perspective (Fig 1).



The Stairway Model to Strategic Partnership presents the essence of collaboration from the perspective of creating relationships of individual components of the organization. Designated model levels indicate successive phases / scopes of collaboration in the organization associated with more or less commitment to the creation of these relations from a strategic perspective.

Another model that describes the essence of collaboration is a model of Ecosystem collaboration defined in the report The State of European University-Business Collaboration. Final Report - Study on the collaboration between Higher Education Institutions and public and private organisations in Europe [14](Fig 2)

University-Business Collaboration (UBC)

Results level

The 8 types of collaboration

collaboration in research and development (R&D), mobility of academics, mobility of students, commercialisation of R&D results,

curriculum development and delivery, Lifelong Learning, entrepreneurship, and governance.

Factor level

Influencing factors

Benefits of UBC, drivers and barriers to UBC, situational factors affecting UBC

Action level

The 4 Pillars

Strategies, structures &approaches, activities and Framework conditio for UBC

Having

Influence

Key Stackholders

University (academic, magament and knowledge & technology tranferscenters ) Goverment (European Union, national, regional, ),

Business

Figure 2: Simplified University – Business Ecosystem Model

Source: Model Created during the project by Davey, T., Galan-Muros, V. [14]

The essence of this model is the identification of three levels, which can affect each of the partner organizations i.e. university and business with which it collaborates. These include [14]:

The action level include 4 pillars: strategies, structures and approaches, activities and framework coordination for collaboration between university and business UBC. In this area, the organization develops relationships from the institutional level.

The factors level – influencing positive and negative factors. This level includes all factors which need to be considered in any attempt and affect UBC.



Results level – there have been identified eight basic types of collaboration, which are the result of joint efforts of the university partners and business organizations. Particular areas of the model presented in Fig. 2 serve achieving the success of

collaboration, which is highly influenced by factors shaped by environment and organizations. Question: What kind of influencing factors important to the success of collaboration should be granted by the organization and its environment? is the subject of many research papers. One of the most important publications in this area since 1992, cited in the literature up to 1000 times is the study Collaboration: what makes it work [5] In this work, the authors used a thorough review of the literature, the use of computer techniques, contacts with researchers and collaboration issues tracked down bibliographic references in each document obtained. The scope of the search included the health, social science, education and public affairs areas. After careful selection of publications and analysis of their contents they indicated general factors critical to the success of collaboration. The factors are grouped into six categories [5]:

1. Environment: history of collaboration or collaboration in the community, a collaborative group seen as a leader in the community, favourable political/social climate.

2. Membership: actual respect, understanding, and trust, appropriate cross-section of members, member’s collaboration as in their self-interest, ability to compromise.

3. Process/Structure: members share the stack in both process and outcomes, multiple layers of decision-making, flexibility, development of clear roles and policy guidelines, adaptability.

4. Communications: open and frequent communications, established informal and formal communication links.

5. Purpose: concrete, attainable goals and objectives, shared vision, unique purpose

6. Resources: sufficient funds, skilled convener.

Research Methodology

Implementation of collaboration in an organization at different levels is associated with the occurrence of factors that support it. In the subject-matter literature, there are many studies that deal with identifying the success factors of collaboration. These studies can be divided into two categories. Industry, that is, the results of which relate to specific research taking place in the defined relationship between science and business structures, and the results are interpreted for a better understanding of these links [15], [16], [17], [4] and the general presentation, the authors of which seek theoretical grounds for generalization phenomena [5].



Detailed perspective of factors

influencing collaboration (case study perspective)

Drivers

Strengths, opportunities

Factors identified as positive in collaboration

university- business

Driver from the perspective of one of the participants that may adversely affect the university

- business collaboration

Barriers,

Weaknesses, threats

Barriers from the perspective

of one of the participants that may have a positive

impact on collaboration university – business

Barriers from the Factors identified as negative in

university - business collaboration

Forces favouring collaboration

Forces blocking collaboration

The prospect of general factors that affect the collaboration between the two organizations (review of subject matter literature).

Fig.3 Diagram of morphological diagnosis of university- business collaboration factors from the detailed and general perspective.

Source: own study

Diagram of morphological diagnosis taking into account the two distinguished above approaches to analyze the factors affecting the implementation of collaboration between organizations and used in the study are demonstrated by Fig 3.

The first group of studies presents the factors attributed to specific situations, which according to classical analysis methods SWOT constitute strengths or opportunities or weaknesses and threats and according to force field analysis, the forces favoring and blocking the studied area of collaboration.

In this area, the analysis was the basis of the results of a study commissioned by the DG Education and Culture at the European Commission during 2010 and 2011 and prepared by the Science-to-Business Marketing Research Centre, Germany. The Research Centre



“Science Marketing” at the University of Applied Sciences Munster in 2013 in report Barriers and Drivers in European University-Business Collaboration [4] as a part of the report ‘The State of European University-Business Collaboration. Final Report - Study on the collaboration between Higher Education Institutions and public and private organisations in Europe [14]. This report presents the findings related to the barriers and drivers of university-business collaboration (UBC) that have been found to exist in Europe. These results derive from a fifteen and a half month study on the collaboration between higher education institutions and public and private organisations in Europe. The main components of the project are in-depth qualitative interviews with 11 recognised UBC experts as well as a major quantitative survey. The survey was translated into 22 languages. Through this, a final sample population of 6,280 academics and Higher Education Institution was achieved, making the study the largest study in Europe [14].

In the area of general factors there have been taken into account the results of research on the key factors of collaboration presented by Mattessich, Monsey [5], including into analysis 6 indicated categories.

The main tool for assessment of the collaboration in these two categories is a detailed analysis of the force field made for the case study: collaboration of universities with business organizations in Europe. The time scope of the research is recognized in the data analysis of the case study and coincides with the state of the factors in the period of research execution - 2011 years. Spatial scope relates to organizations operating in the EU.

Forces Supporting and Blocking Collaboration between Science and Business in Europe – Status and Perspectives

In order to assess the forces favouring and blocking the collaboration of universities and business in Europe from the perspective of general factors conducive to collaboration, first we must diagnose a problematic situation, which will be the subject of field force analysis, thus the conditions of universities’ collaboration with business organizations in Europe in 2011.

Numerous studies conducted in Europe [14], [18], [19] on the state of science and business collaboration show that this area is not growing well. As many as 40% academicians in Europe are not involved in any kind of collaboration, 20% declares low motivation, and only 40% high. In institutions approximately 65% have at least a medium degree of collaboration on management level [19]. This situation stems from the fact that many academicians do not perceive the benefits of collaboration or their research is not useful for business. Once such benefits are perceived, they try to achieve them and then commitment to collaboration with business grows.



Driver University Business Collaboration Barriers

Environment

A1. Short geographical distance of the University from the business

partner,

B3. Business lack awareness of university research activities / offerings,

B1.Collaboration as effective means to address societal challenges and

issues.

B4. The limited absorption capacity of SMEs to take on internships or

projects,

B2.Prior relation with the business partner,

B5. Differing time horizons between University and business

A2.Commercial orientation of the HEI.

A3. Business is focused on producing practical results by business,

B6. University lack awareness of opportunities arising from UBC,

B7. Difficulty in finding the appropriate collaboration partner

Membership

B8. Existence of mutual commitment,

B10Differing motivation / values between HEI and business, B9. Understanding of common

interest by different stakeholders

Process/Structure

A4. Employment by business of HEI staff and students,

A7. The need for business to have confidentiality of research results,

A5. Flexibility of business partner A8.Business fears that their knowledge will be disclosed.

A6. Access to business-sector research and development facilities,

B11.Bureaucracy within or external to the University,

Communications

----

B12.Differing mode of communication and language between university and

business,



Figure 4: Drivers and barriers for collaboration between university and business (UBC) in Europe vs collaboration factors (in a general meaning).

Source: own study. For the name of barriers and drivers the Author use [4]

The area of collaboration of universities with business concerns 8 different categories [14]: collaboration in research and development (R&D), mobility of academicians, mobility of students, commercialisation of R&D results, curriculum development and delivery, Lifelong Learning, entrepreneurship, and governance (Governance is defined as collaboration between higher institution and business at a management level). In these areas, the activity faces barriers but it is also stimulated by many drivers (Figure 4)

Purpose

A9. Interest of business in accessing scientific knowledge,

-------

B13.Having a shared goal

B14.Understanding of common

B15. interest by different stakeholders (e.g.University;

business; individuals; students),

Resources

A10.Possibility of accessing funding / financial resources for working with

business,

C1.Lack of external funding for UBC,

C2.Lack of financial resources of the business,

C3.Lack of University funding for UBC,

C4.The current financial crises.

B16.Limited ability of business to absorb research findings,

B17. A Lack of contact people with scientific knowledge within business,

B18. No appropriate initial contact person within either the University or

business.

The success of the Universities and business organizations collaboration in Europe



In the report Barriers and Drivers in the European University-Business Collaboration [4], the authors pointed out two key drivers and barriers factors. Identification of these factors was the basis of their interaction with a number of perspectives. In figure 4 contains the results of the report, grouping them according to three groups: group A factors - results-based business collaboration; Group B - factors such relationships and that these relationships builds; Group C - financial factors. The largest group are the factors of group B, as well as its range covers many elements associated with the formation of direct and indirect relationships.

Regarding the report results for the areas of success factors defined by Mattessicht, Monsey [4] there can be seen following regularity (quantitative perspective):

Environment: On the side of drivers operate forces from groups A and B. In the area of the barrier factors predominate in group B thus blocking the need and the development of necessary co-operation relationship. In this area of factors it can be observed how many elements are essential for co-operation from the perspective of its prevalence in the environment. Policies, institutional arrangements, consciousness shaped by history and experience may be important for the success of collaboration.

Membership: In this area, there have been identified drivers of group B, items that were considered in the world study as important from the perspective of collaborations and 1 barrier of the B group associated with the occurrence of differences in the motivation to work.

Process/Structure: in this area significantly prevailing are the factors of group A. They support the process realisation and the proper functioning of the structures of collaboration, factors associated with the employment of the right people and the right organization of the collaboration process itself. The barriers are factors related to the unspecified nature of the collaboration and bureaucracy understood negatively.

Communications: very interesting results have been obtained in the area of communication. There has been recognized here only one barrier of the B group while no support factors have been observed in this area.

Purpose: This area is supported mainly by drivers from the group B. Resources: In this area, respondents point out several factors from the groupC which

indicates the need for comprehensive financial support for the undertaken collaboration from the perspective of a university as well as from a business perspective. The main element in supporting the process of collaboration may be the financing of the EU programs designated as the drivers.

Referring to the qualitative analysis the main limiting factor of UBC is bureaucracy and lack of sufficient funding mechanisms.

Conclusion

The collaboration is not something easy to achieve. Modern scientific achievements can recognize this phenomenon from the perspective of a case study [4], [14], [19] as well as the broader level of generality, i.e. model solutions and generalized results of research [5]. Comparison of drivers and barriers to the overall collaboration key factors can help to formulate the following conclusions:

1. Collaboration of universities and business in Europe is supported by a number of factors (such as the factors of shaping relations, business factors), but it has also significant barriers which include lack of financial resources and too extensive bureaucracy. At a general level the shape of this process in Europe is greatly influenced by factors from the environment. It is a policy of individual countries or



strategy across the European Union that can be an important element in the process of overcoming identified barriers and strengthen the drivers determined on the basis of the analyzed case studies.

2. The analysis of factors identified in the text and carried out in the study time

enables to indicate that majority of them can be directly attributed to the identified areas of collaboration support from an overall perspective. On this basis we may make a preliminary thesis that the success of the collaboration is demonstrated in correct configuration of the designated areas which include: Environment, Membership, Process / Structure, Communications, Purpose, Resources. Confirmation of this thesis will require further research.

The above conclusion from the cognitive perspective contributes to an even fuller recognition of the problems of collaboration and the result above to its detailing. From a pragmatic perspective it enables us to gain knowledge on what forces favour the collaboration of universities with business in Europe, and what you can expect in preparation for such collaboration as a partner and what blocks efficiency and activity of such collaboration, thus what should be carefully handled. Pragmatic application of such knowledge is extensive. It is still important and interesting area to explore. Further research can be focused on accurate identification of the role of benefits and situational factors in the effectiveness of cooperative or versus barriers and drivers from the perspective of cultural differences.

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Author

PhD AgataPierscieniak Academic from Rzeszow University, Poland email: [email protected]

The Author of 50 scientific publications, reviewer in The International Journal of Human Resource Management. Experience with international collaboration; Romania, Japan, USA. Main subject: management science, collaboration between organizations, organizational behavior, HRMResearch area: HRM, cooperation, collaboration between business and university (success factors).

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