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Examining the dynamics of industry–university collaborations in Ghana

Albertina Muparadzi (African Development Bank, Abidjan, Cote D'ivoire)
Livingstone Divine Caesar (Department of Doctoral Programs, SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich, Switzerland)

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

ISSN: 2050-7003

Article publication date: 17 July 2020

Issue publication date: 4 May 2021

186

Abstract

Purpose

University–industry (UI) collaborations are now a crucial issue as universities explore innovative means to secure industry funding for research and improve the employability content of existing curricula. This paper explores the dynamics of the antecedents of UI collaborations in management education. It further investigates the moderating variables (motivation, national policy and institutional factors) that are likely to influence the positive relationship between the antecedents of collaboration and the intention to collaborate.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative survey sent to 300 participants in academia and industry in Ghana achieved an 83% response rate. The data was analysed using bivariate and multivariate techniques.

Findings

The results revealed a positive relationship between knowledge sharing, trust, communication and motivation for UI collaborations. Motivation did not have a moderating effect on the positive relationship between any of the five independent variables and UI collaborations. Institutional factors were found to moderate the positive relationship between knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Practical implications

Policy to encourage UI collaborations should build on reputational and intrinsic rather than purely financial motivations as academics are motivated by a complex mix of monetary and non-monetary factors.

Originality/value

This paper highlights the need for an intricate alignment of the interests of academia and practitioners to encourage UI collaboration efforts.

Keywords

Citation

Muparadzi, A. and Caesar, L.D. (2021), "Examining the dynamics of industry–university collaborations in Ghana", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 591-608. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-03-2020-0064

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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