Science marketing - empirical data from South Africa

摘要

The issue of university/industry collaboration in research and development projects is examined within the context of a technology colony such as South Africa. The study provides preliminary understanding on - (a) the extent of industry linkages with the 'research-to-innovation value chain' and (b) the gap between university delivery and industry perception and expectations from R&D collaborations. The survey respondents include representatives of organisations that have engaged university researchers in collaborative projects. The non-probablistic data complement the view that regular engagement with universities occurs more on matters regarding acquisition of new knowledge. There was little evidence to suggest that knowledge so acquired was commercialised into the local economy, rather, the success factors for industry to collaborate with university on R&D projects within a technology colony include: (a) access to specialist and competent human resource skills, (b) access to specialist facilities, and (c) close matching of perceptions of delivery capability against industry expectations.