A Conceptual Framework of Knowledge Transfer Effectiveness Methodology through Collaborative Factors of Dyadic Partnerships

Abstract

There are numerous studies examining alliance network performance. Very few studies, however, have examined (1) detailed collaborative activities in dyadic university-industry partnerships and (2) potential constructs for measuring knowledge transfer and commercialization in the R&D alliance between industrial firms and university context. By combining inter-organizational relations (IORs), knowledge-based view (KBV) and resource-based view (RBV) of firm, this paper focuses on the influence of partner complementarities, partner attributes, the characteristics of the coordination and relationship quality between industrial companies and universities that may lead to the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. This paper attempts to propose an integrated model for measuring the knowledge transfer effectiveness in university-industry alliances. The so-called “RDCE” model is thereby proposed as an integrated model for measuring the knowledge transfer effectiveness in terms of tacit and explicit knowledge transfer from four different dimensions namely research outputs through explicit knowledge transfer, development through tacit knowledge transfer, commercialization and efficient coordination.  The research hypotheses are discussed for the purpose of the future empirical study.