CIMR Workshop 2018 Supervisor: Dr CIMR Workshop 2018 Supervisor: Dr. Federica Rossi Student: Maryam Ghorbankhani

“Exploitation of public sector R&D: the role of knowledge transfer governance and R&D management within Public Sector and its influence on collaborations with Private Sector”

nature International weekly journal of science The UK government increases research spending significantly over the next decade. The government boosts public spending on research and development (R&D) to £12.5 billion (US$16.5 billion) in 2021–22. An increase of £500 million on what is planned for the year before.

nature International weekly journal of science Government also targets to raise combined public and private spending on R&D to 2.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027. Hitting the target will also require private investment in R&D to rise.

Sustainable & balanced economic growth Govenment spending in R&D Promoting reseach & development Private spending in R&D combined public and private spending on R&D

UK Research Base The UK research base is composed of: Universities and Public research organizations (PROs), which are positioned between the fundamental science carried out in academia, and the industrial/commercial R&D carried out by business.

Examples of PROs The Met Office National Physical Laborator UK Atomic Energy Authority National Measurement and Regulation Office Ordnance Survey UK Space Agency Animal and Plant Health Agency Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) Environment Agency Public Health England (PHE) Atomic Weapons Establishment Health and Safety Executive

Channels of knowledge transfer By PROs scientific publications contract research with industry patenting and licensing others mobility of academic staff Conferences academic start-ups Recent Years Public private partnerships Open science initiativets Entrepreneurial channels

CHALLENGES Firms mainly source information: from private consultants & from collaborations with private research institutes. They rarely reach for public research sector to obtain required information. PROs need to develop the ability to effectively engage with potential users of their knowledge

Problem Despite the UK’s excellent record of invention and innovation by universities and PROs, many studies have reported a relatively poor performance when it comes to commercial exploitation of research outputs (Maxwell-Jackson, 2011).

Research Gap Most studies in this stream focus on firms’ collaborations with universities as source of innovation, knowledge and technology transfer The role of PROs’ interactions with industry in promoting commercial innovation remains vastly under-researched

Research questions (i) What R&D governance and management strategies are associated with more effective knowledge transfer and commercial exploitation on the part of PROs? (ii) What are the drivers and constraints in the process of knowledge transfer in collaboration of PROs with firms?

Method Analysis of the R&D governance and management associated with PROs’ effective knowledge transfer and commercial exploitation: A quantitative study of PROs in the UK I focus on the KT activities of PROs in the UK and their collaboration with firms. To complement the study, I also conduct comparative studies within PROs and their collaborated project with firms. A historical study of knowledge transfer in PROs is required.

Data and samples: Part 1 The first part of the project includes a quantitative study of PROs in the UK. Data have been gathered from public sources (including organizations’ websites and annual reports) for population of PROs in the UK. (85 PROs) PROs the last couple of decades, with numerous mergers between institutions, dismissals of institutions or transfer of institutions to the private or charity sector.

Data gathered So far constructed panel dataset of 33 PROs in the United Kingdom, built from public administrative records (annual reports and financial returns) between 2012 and 2017. Patent related data gathered for 33 PROs in UK.

Data gathered Their current status (whether they are still a PRO or they have been closed, merged or transferred to the private sector) and their R&D mission (whether performing R&D is a substantial part of their mission Or whether their role is mainly linked to fostering cultural or social objective, or performing non-R&D related services).

Next steps In order to find out what knowledge transfer infrastructures and management practices the PROs are implementing, and how these relate to their knowledge transfer and commercial exploitation performance, I will need to source information directly from PROs. The project will involve a survey of the 33-35 PROs in my sample, activities, performance, infrastructures, resources, and management practices.

Data and samples: Part 2 Qualitative approach: Interview high performing PROs To explore their best practices to engage with businesses, management strategies, collaboration channels, and the type of firms they collaborate with (in terms of scale, adaption of open innovation strategies, absorptive capabilities, etc). T0 conduct interviews with firms that collaborate most with each of these PROs to learn from best innovation management practices.

Thank you very much!