Science-driven or engagement-driven? Shaping commercialisation pathways in public research organisations

Industry and Innovation, pp. 1–20

Abstract

This paper analyses how scientists’ commercialisation pathways differ depending on how researchers balance two distinct orientations towards advancing science: an orientation to expand the pool of scholarly work (science-driven orientation) and an orientation to achieve practical responses to societal needs that draws on extensive interaction with research beneficiaries (engagement-driven orientation). We distinguish three types of scientists (upstream, engaged, and bridging) according to how they balance science-driven and engagement-driven orientations, and analyse how scientists differ in their involvement in research commercialisation and in the specific pathways they pursue (spin-offs formation vs technology licensing). Drawing on the case of the largest Spanish public research organisation, we find that upstream scientists are less involved in commercialisation; whereas engaged and bridging scientists are active commercialisation agents: the former primarily pursuing licensing and the latter creating spin-offs. Implications for policy and practice call for recognising alternative scientific profiles and the co-occurrence of different routes to science commercialisation.

Authors 5

1. Mabel Sánchez‐Barrioluengo corresponding

   University of Manchester

   Affiliation as printed

   Alliance Manchester Business School University of Manchester

2. Óscar Llopis

   Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Universitat de València · Instituto de Gestión de la Innovación y del Conocimiento · University of Gothenburg

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Gothenburg

   University of Valencia and Associated Unit with CSIC-INGENIO

3. Irene Ramos-Vielba

   Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas · Technical University of Denmark

   Affiliation as printed

   Spanish National Research Council

   Technical University of Denmark

4. Pablo D’Este

   Universitat Politècnica de València

   Affiliation as printed

   Universitat Politècnica de València

5. Alfredo Yegros Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University