The Role of University in Knowledge Transfer——an Empirical Investigation of the Architecture Industrial Cluster around Tongji University

摘要

Pursuing a nodal level of analysis, this paper advances and tests a theoretical framework pertaining to inter-organization knowledge transfers within industrial cluster. We predicted that (1) university acts as the knowledge base from which most of the firms operating in this cluster receive relevant knowledge that they need and (2) knowledge outflows from a university would be positively associated with value of the university's knowledge stock, the absorptive capacity of the firms, and the richness of transmission channels. These predictions will be tested empirically with data that will be collected from firms operating in this industrial cluster and university faculties, and postgraduate students who have business relationships with these firms. We will test whether the data provide either full or partial support to the elements of our theoretical framework.