Influence of university-firm governance on SMEs innovation and performance levels

摘要

The purpose of this paper is to study how different university-firm governance styles impact SMEs' innovation and performance. In this sense, we differentiate between relational governance - based on interpersonal links of trust - and contractual governance based on codified scientific and technological knowledge. The empirical analysis is based on data gathered through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 600 Spanish SMEs. The findings show that only contractual university-firm relationships have a direct and significant effect on innovation, whereas relational activities promote and support contractual activities. The findings have managerial implications not just for firms, but also for universities. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.