مقاله انگلیسی رایگان در مورد نقش سرمایه اجتماعی با فرهنگ تعدیل شده در انتقال فناوری – الزویر 2019

1- Introduction

2- Context and theoretical background

3- Methodology

4- Overview findings and discussion

5- Conclusions and next steps

References

Abstract

This study examines the impact of cultural differences on the creation of social capital in technology transfer processes. The aim is to understand the influence of culture on relationships, particularly the structural, relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital created in relationships associated with university-industry links, specifically technology transfer (TT). The research builds on a culture-moderated social capital perspective; observing that the characteristics and usefulness of social capital are determined by cultural practices prevailing in social structures. The influence of culture on social capital in case studies of six American and ten Asian technology transfer offices and organizations involved in technology transfer has been investigated. Using university research technology transfer and commercialization as the centerpiece of the empirical work, we examine basic Hofstede’s cultural characteristics and the way they influence TT practices in two different culture types. Our findings suggest cultures can influence creation and utilization of social capital in university-industry links. Culture can influence not only relationships with external stakeholders in technology transfer (industry, governmental bodies) but also internal relationships and management styles in TT offices (influences on organizational culture). We propose that the awareness of cultural characteristics and influences is important not only in cross-cultural technology transfer but also domestic operations. Using this awareness to build trust lies at the heart of interactions with internal and external stakeholders. The research results should be useful for entrepreneurs, universities and technology transfer officers in order to better understand the nature, and role, of culture-moderated social capital in technology transfer and to support effective processes for scientific research commercialization.

Introduction

A very competitive environment and dynamic changes in the global economy have led private and public sector institutions to unite their efforts to foster the diffusion of knowledge within innovation systems. Scholarly interest in university–industry relationships for technology development and commercialization arose from a belief that collaborative research by academia with industry can be a powerful source of innovation (Mansfield, 1998). Some researchers have argued that the importance of linkages between universities and industry bodies helps ensure the survival of both parties in the competitive marketplace and that it acts as an engine of economic growth (Siegel et al., 2004). Morlacchi and Martin (2009) argue that the innovative capacity of a nation is dependant not only on individual actors of the innovation system (companies, universities, government), but more importantly on the links between such players. Carlsson and Fridh (2002) argue that technology transfer from universities to industry needs to be understood in its broader context. The success in disseminating research results for the public good depends not only on the nature of the interface between the university and the business community, but also on the receptivity in the surrounding community as well as the culture, organization, and incentives within the universities themselves. Particularly the national culture system can be more, or less, contributory to the development of social capital (Lin, 2007; Nakhaie, 2005; Sanders and Nee, 1996) and culture variations may affect the characteristics of social capital (Portes, 1998). For example norms, are considered as one of major sources of social capital (Coleman, 1988; Portes, 1998). Norms are culturally constructed (Hofstede, 1980). Also networks have been perceived as ‘primarily cultural phenomena’ (Curran et al., 1993: 77). This study supports a culture-moderated social capital perspective, i.e. that the characteristics and usefulness of social capital are determined by cultural practice prevailing in social structures (Lin, 2007). We investigate social capital in a cultural context via two extreme cultural types. On the basis of Hofstede’s (1997) cultural dimensions model, Griffith et al. (2000) identified two extreme cultural types: Type I (individualistic, low uncertainty avoidance, and low long-term orientation) and Type II (collectivistic, strong uncertainty avoidance, and high long-term orientation).