The design of a knowledge exchange network between university and SMEs

Abstract

This paper aims at showing how design can become a strategic lever to help a productive context grow (SMEs, practitioners, corporate policy, and research system). In particular, it focuses on the ability of design to enable social and economic connections among the actors involved in a project, to find new ways for developing innovation within SMEs, and to make young designers face the entrepreneurial reality.The projects developed at the INDACO department of Politecnico di Milano show how creativity can add value to the professional relationship between young designers and micro, small and medium companies. These projects use action-research as methodology and aim at promoting design culture in the Italian local productive realities. Specifically, the case studies presented in this paper use mechanisms of design knowledge and technology transfer [19], that is the physical transfer of innovation agents (newly graduate designers) into companies. With the researchers' support, these mechanisms have led to develop product, service and communication projects in collaboration with SMEs. The approach followed is based on the concept of "human capital growth" [16] that adds expertise to the company aiming at action-taking.Moreover the pilot-cases were developed through a practical process of learning by doing and learning by interacting, with a double benefit for participants: companies previously unfamiliar with design had the chance to experience the potentials of design, and young designers experienced real working situations, applying their technical knowledge on product development and production processes [4].The paper focuses mainly on the latest of these pilot cases, that is the project DEA -Design E Artigianato per il Trentino, looking at the collaborative experiences developed with small manufacturing companies in the province of Trento. It also tries to sum up ten years of research and experimentation on the topic. The aim of the paper is to try and consolidate a model of knowledge exchange [15] for developing innovative projects with the aid of design, supported by both University and Entrepreneurial Associations as trust generators [10,13].

Emerging best strategies and capabilities for university–industry cooperation: opportunities for MSMEs and universities to improve collaboration. A literature review 2000–2023

“…Staff mobility, i.e., the temporary labor movement between universities and enterprises to implement various projects. Within the framework of a mobility program, business specialists are involved in university research activities, and university employees can work in the company sector for several years while continuing to adhere to their chosen professional trajectory (Arquilla et al, 2011;Eseonu & Wyrick, 2010). 4.…”

“…2. Sharing resources, such as infrastructure and personnel (Amano-Ito, 2020; Arquilla et al, 2011;Yi & Zhang, 2022). 3.…”