Corporate strategic objectives for establishing relationships with university research centers

Organizations face increased pressures to continually advance knowledge and new technologies for their long-term success and prosperity. University research centers offer important interorganizational linkages for industry–university collaboration, conducive for advancing knowledge and new technologies. This study examined industry’s strategic objectives for establishing relationships with university research centers. As a result of this multimethod exploratory field study, we have identified three clusters of industrial firms with different strategic objectives: collegial players, aggressive players, and targeted players. Collegial players are predominately large firms working with university research centers on topics of interest to the firm which are perceived to have long-term value rather than the promise of immediate commercial opportunities. Aggressive players are a mix of both large and small firms employing relationships with university research center primarily to develop and commercialize a wide range of marketable products and services. Targeted players are often smaller firms largely interested in using their relationships with university research centers to address specific needs central to their business. We conclude this paper by discussing the implications of these findings for both industrial firms and universities.