INDUSTRY-PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE INFRASTRUCTURE INTERACTION: INTRA- AND INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL EXPLANATIONS OF INTERACTIVE LEARNING

摘要

Owing to rapid technological developments, increased global competition, and shorter product life cycles, firms are confronted with strong pressures to develop new knowledge and to innovate. Many firms decide to acquire knowledge and technology from external sources to complement their internal knowledge bases for innovation purposes. These sources include buyers, suppliers, competitors, research organizations, and universities. Especially research organizations and universities, both part of the public knowledge infrastructure, can have unique potentials for innovating firms. Not only can firms obtain technological knowledge, but they can also recruit students and scientists to serve as employees or consultants. Industry-public knowledge infrastructure interaction represents an evolving trend for advancing new knowledge and technologies (Sakakibara 2002).