Efficiency analysis of university departments: An empirical study

Universities play an important role in the development of a country in this age of the knowledge economy. As government subsidies to universities have been reducing in recent years, the more efficient use of resources becomes an important issue for university administrators. This paper applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess the relative efficiency of the academic departments at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. The outputs considered are total credit-hours, publications, and external grants; and the inputs utilized by the departments are personnel, operating expenses, and floor space. An assurance region is constructed by the top administrators of the university to confine the flexibility in selecting the virtual multipliers in DEA. Four groups of departments of similar characteristics are categorized via an efficiency decomposition and cluster analysis. The aggregate efficiency indicates whether the resources have been utilized efficiently by a department and the efficiency decomposition helps identify the weak areas where more effort should be devoted so that the efficiency of the department can be improved.     

‘Environment’ Submissions in the UK's Research Excellence Framework 2014

There has been much debate about university research assessment exercises. In the UK, a major element of the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF2014) has been the research environment. Here we analyse 98 REF2014 ‘environment’ submissions in Business and Management Studies. We explore whether there are distinctive language‐related differences between submissions of high and low ranked universities and conclude that submission writers have a strong incentive to exaggerate strengths and conceal problems. In addition, innate biases such as the ‘halo’ and ‘velcro’ effects may distract the attention of assessors from a submission's strengths and weaknesses, since they are likely to influence their pre‐existing impressions. We propose several changes to improve how environment is evaluated. We also argue that the research environment would be more likely to be enhanced if the number of outputs submitted in future was an average of two and a maximum of four per academic, rather than the maximum of five currently being considered.     

Building Industry–University Research Centers: Some Strategic Considerations

This paper reviews the importance of industry–university relationships and the strategic considerations within the context of these partnerships in university research centers. We have identified several factors that are particularly important to industry in building relationships with university centers. These include: acquiring skills, knowledge and gaining access to university facilities; organizational cultures that are more organic; flexible university policies for intellectual property rights, patents and licenses; and the presence of champions. Firms also have explicit collaborative strategies for partnering with universities where firms can be segmented into three distinct clusters: Collegial Players, Aggressive Players and Targeted Players. Collegial Players are often large firms working with universities and university-sponsored consortia on topics of interest that have long-term value rather than promise immediate commercial opportunities. Aggressive Players are both large and small firms who employ university relationships specifically to develop and commercialize a wide range of marketable products and services. Targeted Players are often smaller firms, largely interested in using university relationships to address specific issues central to their business. We conclude by discussing key implications for both industry and universities.     

University-to-industry knowledge transfer: literature review and unanswered questions

This paper reviews the economic literature concerning university-to-industry knowledge transfer. Papers on this topic are divided into four categories. Research in the 'firm characteristics' category focuses directly on company issues, such as internal organization, resource allocation, and partnerships. In contrast, research in the 'university characteristics' stream pays little attention to the firms that commercialize inventions, but rather focuses on issues relating to the university, such as licensing strategies, incentives for professors to patent, and policies such as taking equity in return for intellectual property. The 'geography in terms of localized spillovers' stream of research considers the spatial relationship between firms and universities relative to performance in terms of knowledge transfer success. Finally, the 'channels of knowledge transfer' literature examines the relative importance of various transfer pathways between universities and firms, such as publications, patents, and consulting. Each of these research streams is discussed and key papers are described highlighting important methodologies and results. Finally, an outline of topics requiring further research in each of the four categories is offered.     

产学研合作对学术团队建设影响的实证研究——团队特征差异的调节效应检验

本文从学术团队核心能力建设的动态角度,利用广东省高校学术团队的数据,从产学研合作的广度和深度两个维度,研究探讨了产学研合作对学术团队核心能力影响的作用机理,深入剖析了学术团队的研究偏好、成员的互补性等团队特征的差异性特征对该影响作用的调节效应。研究结果表明,产学研合作对学术团队的建设具有积极的影响,产学研合作会对学术团队建设的正式化和学习能力产生正向的影响,而产学研合作的深度较广度相比,会对学术团队的学习能力影响更为突出。当进一步考虑到学术团队特征的异质性时,产学研合作对学术团队建设的影响效应也将随学术团队特征的异质性而体现出内在的差异性。其中,学术团队的研究偏好与产学研合作项目越匹配,产学研合作将有助于提升团队的学习能力。而学术团队人员的互补性越强,产学研合作广度的增加将有利于形成团队的互动与逐渐正式化,随着团队产学研合作深度的增加,其对学术团队文化氛围的影响也就越有利。     

The UK research assessment exercise

Abstract

This article examines and critiques the UK research assessment exercise (RAE) and its implications for research and writing in HRD. It describes the process and identifies weaknesses in some of the concepts and related criteria applied in assessing and grading research outputs and in particular the notions of ‘international’ and ‘world class’ as standards against which to judge those outputs. The article argues that the process has detrimental effects for emerging subjects such as HRD, for those engaged in research in such subjects and for journals such as HRDI which are relatively new to business and management. It concludes that UK academics working in the field of HRD are mistaken if they allow the RAE to drive their research and choice of publications and outlets, and that it is important to support the journals which are playing a critical role in establishing the subject.     

HRD Research in a diversified field

A nation's capacity to absorb and produce knowledge is increasingly linked to advancing its social and economic well-being. While the bulk of research attention has focused on knowledge management in the private sector, universities worldwide continue to play pivotal roles in developing the human capability to work with knowledge. This article draws on a qualitative case study of a public flagship, comprehensive university in a developing nation in Southeast Asia to identify existing research capacity strengths and the hopes some academic faculty and administrators have for the future in a resource-limited and politically constrained context. It points out that faculty virtue may be the basis on which research capacity can develop when gaps in organizational processes, physical resources, and outside support exist. The findings have relevance for richer and poorer nations alike, as rapidly changing economic conditions threaten levels of funding to universities around the world.     

Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis of the Researcher’s Competence in the Formation of University-Industry Collaboration Using Smart PLS

This study empirically identified and investigated the importance and performance of researcher’s competence which serves as crucial stimuli in initiating university-industry collaborative activities in Malaysian research universities using Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA). The findings are endorsed by the IPMA that the importance and performance of domain knowledge are high in contributing to sustainability entrepreneurship thus lead to the university-industry collaboration formation. It is also found that social capital and market knowledge are important but the performance of these areas required attention from the management to further enhance. Unexpectedly, it is suggested that the management should pay less attention to researcher reputation as this is the least priority area for improvement as demonstrated by the results generated by the IPMA. Essentially, the findings contribute to the benefit of the university leaders to understand the diversity of competence possessed by the academic researchers as valuable resources in spotting and seizing a business opportunity.

     

The antecedents of new R&D collaborations with different partner types: On the dynamics of past R&D collaboration and innovative performance

We examine firms' propensity to adapt their R&D collaboration portfolio by establishing new types of R&D collaboration with different kinds of partners (suppliers, customers, competitors and universities & public research institutions). We argue that existing R&D collaboration with one of the two value chain partners (suppliers or customers) is associated with the formation of new R&D collaboration with the other value chain partner to ensure temporal alignment in innovation within the value chain. In contrast, issues related to governance and unintended knowledge spillovers suggest that ‘horizontal’ R&D collaboration with competitors only spurs R&D collaboration with other partner types if such competitor R&D collaboration has been discontinued earlier (‘delayed temporal alignment’). We posit that persistent prior R&D collaboration with institutional partners is an antecedent to the establishment of new R&D collaboration with industrial partners, and that discontinuation of a particular type of R&D collaboration is likely to lead to a restart of such R&D collaborative effort. Strong prior innovative performance is expected to increase the probability that firms establish R&D collaborations with new partner types, except for R&D collaboration with competitors, since the most innovative firms may fear leakage of proprietary knowledge to rivals. We find broad support for these predictions in a large panel of Spanish innovating firms (2004–2011). Our findings highlight that it is not just the configuration of R&D collaborations with existing partner types that predicts tie formation with new partner types, but also the intertemporal pattern of prior R&D collaboration and managerial discretion provided by past innovation success.     

Evaluating cost efficiency in central administrative services in UK universities

This paper describes an attempt to evaluate cost efficiency in UK university central administration. The funding councils of higher education institutions have progressively evolved elaborate systems for measuring university performance in teaching quality and research. Indeed, funding of universities is linked to their performance in research. The allocation of resources between academic and administrative activities, on the other hand, has so far not been subject to scrutiny. Yet, expenditure on administration is typically some 30% of that allocated to academic activities. This paper sets up a data envelopment analysis (DEA) framework to identify practices leading to cost-efficient central administrative services in UK universities. The problems in defining the unit of assessment and the relationship between the inputs and the outputs are clearly demonstrated.     

Local and Global Knowledge Complementarity: R&D Collaborations and Innovation of Foreign and Domestic Firms

We analyze how research and development (R&D) collaborations affect product innovation for subsidiaries of foreign multinational firms and domestic firms. We build on the knowledge-based view to propose that subsidiaries and domestic firms differ in their ability to benefit from alternative R&D partners as a result of the variation in their knowledge complementarities. Specifically, we propose that subsidiaries may benefit more from undertaking R&D collaborations with customers and competitors, whose deeper knowledge of local conditions better complements the more global knowledge base of subsidiaries. In contrast, we argue that domestic firms may benefit more from engaging in R&D collaborations with suppliers and universities, whose more global nature of knowledge better complement the deeper local knowledge base of domestic firms.     

Effects of intellectual capital and university knowledge in indigenous innovation: evidence from Indian SMEs

Abstract

Intellectual capital and collaboration with universities are vital knowledge management practices for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to innovate and improve the effectiveness of their operations. This study investigates empirically the impacts of intellectual capital and university knowledge on indigenous innovation and how business and institutional environments affect the relationships. The research model is tested using moderated regression analysis and data collected from 150 SMEs in India. The results show that intellectual capital and university knowledge improve indigenous innovation, both individually and interactively. The effect of intellectual capital in indigenous innovation is amplified by dysfunctional competition whereas the effect of university knowledge in indigenous innovation is attenuated by environmental uncertainty. In addition, we find that indigenous innovation is positively associated with business performance. The impact of indigenous innovation on business performance is enhanced by dysfunctional competition but reduced by environmental uncertainty.     

The institutionalization of knowledge transfer activities within industry–university collaborative ventures

Due to the changing competitive landscape, organizations must increasingly focus on acquiring external knowledge to advance new technologies. This study examines the institutionalization of knowledge transfer activities between industrial firms and university research centers. Data were collected from 189 firms collaborating with 21 university research centers in the US. Results show that knowledge transfer activities are facilitated when industrial firms have more mechanistic structures, cultures that are more stable and direction-oriented, and when the firm is more trusting of its university research center partner. Implications for both industry and universities, including their effect on firm performance, are discussed.     

The role of networks in early internationalizing firms: A systematic review and future research agenda

Despite considerable research, the international entrepreneurship (IE) literature lacks systematic knowledge of how early internationalizers use networks to overcome their resource deficits in different phases of internationalization. Further, a systematic guide for future research to expand the current knowledge of early internationalizers' network dynamics throughout their internationalization process is missing to date. To fill these voids, the present paper conducts a systematic review of sixty-one journal articles on the role of networks in the cross-border expansion of early internationalizing companies. We contribute to existing research by taking stock of the current state of knowledge regarding the role of networks in early internationalizing firms in different faces of internationalization. We also use the findings obtained from our review as a platform to systematically identify opportunities for future research regarding early internationalizers’ network dynamics throughout the internationalization process.     

Führungskulturen an der Universität: Feedbackinstrumente als Schlüssel zur Personalentwicklung

Management culture at German universities. Guided feedback as an instrument to develop leadership skills In future, universities will be fundamentally more exposed to national and international competition than they are today. The challenges for Germany’s universities arising from this are increased by the reform pressure towards a modernization of the governmental administration. On grounds of these new tasks and challenges, inner-organizational changes as well as the development of a leadership responsibility and further training of the employees’ social skills are necessary. Therefore up-to-date personnel development belongs to a university’s modernization program. At the Berlin University of Technology appraisals by subordinates are practiced in order to design a fair leadership culture. The crucial factor for this is the professor’s and administration manager’s identification with their leadership role. For a further process consultation the adoption of coaching is recommended.     

高校科研团队知识管理系统要素研究——来自教育部创新团队的实证分析

高校科研团队是由科研任务牵引的知识团队,团队运作的最终目标是实现科技创新,创造新知识、新技术和培养创造性人才。成功的团队管理往往就是有效的知识管理。在高校科研团队的运作过程中,自始至终贯穿着知识创新活动,并且知识创新始终处于核心地位。文章首先从知识管理的角度探讨了高校科研团队的运作过程,提炼出团队知识管理的系统要素,在此基础上运用结构方程模型方法,通过对107支教育部创新团队进行问卷调查和实证,分析验证组织、文化和资源等要素对高校科研团队知识管理系统的影响和作用机理。研究发现,组织、文化和资源等要素直接或间接地影响着团队创新绩效,知识管理行为扮演着重要的中介作用,实践中应该从这些要素的有效协同入手,才能保证创新绩效的有效提升。     

An empirical examination of the science–technology relationship in the biotechnology industry

Understanding how a firm's scientific capability influences its technology development has important implications on the firm's research and development (R&D) strategies. However, the current literature reveals a puzzling outcome in its empirical investigations on the science–technology relationship. While many studies show the positive influence of a firm's scientific capability on its technological performance, a few others indicate that if a firm focuses its attention more on cutting edge science, its overall technological performance will suffer. We suggest that these findings can be reconciled by conceptualizing and measuring the scientific capability of the firm differently. This paper attempts to demonstrate how different notions of scientific capability are associated with different performance outcomes. Furthermore, a firm's scientific capability facilitates the integration of new knowledge to produce valuable technologies when a firm broadens its search for new knowledge. The paper highlights the nuances of conceptualizing and measuring the firm's scientific capability in two different ways: number of scientific publications and non-patent references. The findings also shed light on the mechanism through which science accelerates technological progress inside a firm.     

Producing Synergy: Innovation,IT, and Productivity

Bringing innovations to market is critical to industrial progress and economic growth. We explore the potential for information technology (IT) to enable innovations, and thus improve productivity. We hypothesize that a knowledge stock of process‐oriented research and development (R&D) increases total factor productivity growth by leveraging traditional forms of capital and labor, and further enhances the ability of IT capital to increase productivity. We estimate these relationships using two broad panels of U.S. industries covering the periods 1987–1998 and 1998–2005. The results indicate qualified support for a synergistic effect of R&D and IT investment in both periods.     

EFFICIENT TUITION FEES AND EXAMINATIONS

We assume that students observe only a private, noisy signal of their ability and that universities can condition admission decisions on the results of noisy tests. If the university observes a private signal of each student's ability, which is soft information, then asymmetries of information are two‐sided, and the optimal admission policy involves a mix of pricing and pre‐entry selection, based on the university's private information. In contrast, if all test results are public knowledge, then there is no sorting on the basis of test scores: Tuition alone does the job of implementing an optimal degree of student self‐selection. These results do not depend on the existence of peer effects. The optimal tuition follows a classic marginal social‐cost pricing rule. (JEL: D82, H42, I22, J24)