Industry-University Synergy From the Perspective of Knowledge Complementation: Drives and Roles

Abstract

Industry-university synergy originates from the knowledge distance between universities and industrial enterprises, and meanwhile become feasible because of the complementarity of knowledge. In the process of industryuniversity collaboration, universities take the role of the source and supplier of abundant knowledge, while enterprises demand for knowledge and hold the leading position of technology innovation in practice. When the supply and demand of knowledge get matched and both sides have the intention of winwin cooperation, industry-university synergy will come true. The main ways, by which universities export knowledge to industries, are talents cultivation, technology transfer, and collaboration with enterprises on specific research projects, that is to say, providing potential qualified workforce and research achievements. Enterprises not only urge universities to conquer the cutting-edge or unsolved technology problems, but also employ skilled university graduate students, collaborate with professionals of universities and even commercialize the knowledge outcomes obtained from universities so that they may gain competitive advantages of sustainable technology innovation. In sum, industry-university synergy does good to boost the innovation development of universities and industrial enterprises through knowledge complementation.