Why do academics engage locally? Insights from the University of Stavanger

Ahoba-Sam, Rhoda

doi:10.1080/21681376.2019.1583600

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…This entails “regional clusters where the knowledge providers stimulating firms’ innovation activity mainly are found outside the region” (Asheim & Isaksen, 2002, p. 84). Given that there exists an advanced and specialized HEI focus in Stavanger with the oil and gas industry (see Figure 3), we see that there is a strong degree of engagement from HEI in Stavanger with the wider regional industrial actors as discussed further within Ahoba‐Sam (2019). Ahoba‐Sam (2019) highlights that the linkages between researchers and local actors proliferate due in part to conditions in the region, namely that “The region seems to provide relevance for their research areas and provided a platform to engage in problem‐solving efforts with regional industries” (Ahoba‐Sam, 2019, p. 261).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Given that there exists an advanced and specialized HEI focus in Stavanger with the oil and gas industry (see Figure 3), we see that there is a strong degree of engagement from HEI in Stavanger with the wider regional industrial actors as discussed further within Ahoba‐Sam (2019). Ahoba‐Sam (2019) highlights that the linkages between researchers and local actors proliferate due in part to conditions in the region, namely that “The region seems to provide relevance for their research areas and provided a platform to engage in problem‐solving efforts with regional industries” (Ahoba‐Sam, 2019, p. 261). However, in the case of knowledge linkages, specifically so in the oil and gas industry within the Stavanger region one must conceptualize the early and ongoing linkages as those which have been to a large degree extra‐regional, namely to other parts of Norway such as with both Norwegian University of Science and Technology and its applied research arm, SINTEF.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

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One coast, two systems: Regional innovation systems and entrepreneurial discovery in Western Norway

et al. 2021

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This paper introduces an analytical framework for understanding how specialized and diversified regional innovation system (RIS) differ in the way an entrepreneurial discovery process (EDP) is likely to unfold. To analytically explore the proposed framework, we deploy a sequential explanatory design approach, using quantitative data to analyze the regional industry structure of the city regions of Bergen and Stavanger in Western Norway, followed by a qualitative analysis of interviews with key stakeholders in both regions. We find that the city regions face unique challenges that align with an understanding of their respective RIS categorization, providing evidence that the framework proposed serves as a useful guide in understanding the development of an EDP.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 93%

One coast, two systems: Regional innovation systems and entrepreneurial discovery in Western Norway

et al. 2021

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“…It has revealed the application of opportunity exploration and exploitation tendencies when initiating contacts across geographical (regional or international) and institutional (industry or academia) types. In a related study, Ahoba-Sam (2019) shows that the motivations for these academic scientists to collaborate are mediated by both personal and external factors. Similarly, the approach (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building of Academics’ Networks—An analysis based on Causation and Effectuation theory

Ahoba-Sam

Charles

2019

Rev Reg Res

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Individual academic scientists engage in various collaborations through their involvement in both regional and extra-regional networks. However, little is known about how these networks are actually formed. Focusing on university and industry networks, we take the view that the process of building new networks is an entrepreneurial activity that involves unpredictability and often goal ambiguity. This paper thus employs the theories of causation and effectuation to explore how the personal networks of academics are initiated. With evidence from the networks of 12 academics based at the University of Stavanger, Norway we show that both causation and effectuation are employed by academics when building their networks. The usage of causation was found to be more consistent with building industry networks whereas effectuation was employed when building networks in academia. Consequently, effectuation was characteristic of the international networks which were found to be mostly constituted by other academics. On the regional level, a mixture of both approaches of causation and effectuation was observed, with more industry linkages suggesting a tendency to be more causal than effectual. Furthermore, while causation was employed for project level networking, effectuation was employed for establishing more individual level ties.

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“…In fact, the efforts of the university, related to coordinating the efforts of individual academics, can sometimes be viewed as disjointed. Indeed, universities have often seemed to some of their academics to be somewhat distant to their individual efforts or are felt to struggle to contribute to the knowledge exchange activities of academic scientists-thus making the individual academics' agency all-the-more important for university-industry linkage (Ahoba-Sam, 2019, Franco and Haase, 2015, Perkmann et al, 2013. In our view, this tension between individual and institutional agency creates a non-optimum environment for stimulating knowledge exchange.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Bridging the chasm? Exploring the effect of the University Context on Knowledge Exchange

Ahoba-Sam

Caputo

Charles

et al. 2020

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This paper provides evidence of the importance of the university context in the facilitation of academic engagement. We conceptualise universities as important actors in the innovation process, and academic engagement as encompassing knowledge-related activities occurring within and outside the university, i.e. those involving both internal and external stakeholders. Universities have increasingly been seen to engage with their communities, or at least show much interest in third mission activities. Universities have, in some cases, put on a cloak of entrepreneurship and have essentially introduced the market into academia. Academic scientists have also had to be more entrepreneurial. However, too often, a chasm is evident between the institutional efforts and the individual efforts identified-universities' engagement efforts may not always consolidate the efforts of individual academics who could be considered the actual conduits for knowledge exchange. In fact, several studies have reported that academic scientists frequently engage outside their institutions with little or no direct assistance from their universities. In our view, this has implications on the ability of universities to facilitate knowledge exchange processes. Based on 39 interviews from Sweden and the UK, we argue that enhanced management of knowledge exchange processes is imperative for facilitating knowledge exchange. Our findings have implications for university management.

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Why do academics engage locally? Insights from the University of Stavanger

Cited by 12 publications

References 53 publications

One coast, two systems: Regional innovation systems and entrepreneurial discovery in Western Norway

One coast, two systems: Regional innovation systems and entrepreneurial discovery in Western Norway

Building of Academics’ Networks—An analysis based on Causation and Effectuation theory

Bridging the chasm? Exploring the effect of the University Context on Knowledge Exchange

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