Partnerskap mellom forskere og praktikere som innovasjonsstrategi – et utfordrende mulighetsrom

Abstract

SUKIP is a project within the FINNUT-program, a program which emphasizes the importance of research for the quality of the innovation itself by the fact that the researchers both support the innovation processes and the decisions that are made. Several advantages of such collaboration are mentioned, and the ambition of The Research Council of Norway (NFR) is that this potential is utilised. At the same time, great variations in forms of collaboration are pointed out, and the need to systematise experiences with good interaction models. The experiences from the SUKIP-project indicate that such collaboration can be both rewarding and challenging, varying with the various phases of an innovation project. Based on the project’s research methodology strategy, we have designed a cycle for data collection, data analysis, feedback/discussion and decision on change, especially for use in the innovation phase. In this chapter, the phases of the project and the reasons for and design of this cycle are presented. The experiences with the collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the various phases of the project are then presented and discussed in light of theories of innovation and collaborative research. Finally, a summary discussion is made of the challenges and opportunities that such a partnership seems to provide and how the potential of the partnership can be exploited.