University-industry collaboration involving micro and small enterprises – critical factors across phases
Veronica Svensson Ülgen & Helena Forslund
What the paper says
In response to the need to strengthen university–industry collaboration (UIC), particularly with underrepresented micro and small enterprises (MSEs), this paper explores critical factors in university–MSE collaborations from both actors’ perspectives and assigns them to specific UIC phases. The study draws on a 3-year collaborative project with rich data from interviews and participant observation. Four phases—initiation, formation, execution, and evaluation—were empirically identified and delineated, contributing to the conceptualization of phases in the literature. Critical factors, factors facilitating or hindering UIC success, were assigned to the phases: for example, collaborative experience (initiation), establishing detailed work plans (formation), competent project management (execution), and what and when to evaluate (evaluation). MSE-specific factors include challenges in establishing economic reporting structures and reliance on peer-to-peer support to manage them. Presenting critical factors chronologically across UIC phases enhances practical understanding and may encourage university and MSE managers to engage in further collaborations.
Evidence weight
Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40
| F · citation impact | 0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20 |
| M · momentum | 0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07 |
| V · venue signal | 0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03 |
| R · text relevance † | 0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20 |
† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.