Diapositiva 1

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INFLUENCE FACTORS OF HUMANITIES RESEARCH GROUPS
ON KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Marián Pérez-Marín Elena Castro-Martínez
Workshop Technological Research Institutes 14 -
15 June 2007, Oslo-Norway.
INSTITUTE OF INNOVATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
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INTRODUCTION

• Generally, KTs studies ?applications of
  experimental and natural sciences.
• Recently, some scientific literature ? analyse
  knowledge transfer processes in social sciences
  (Godin Dore, 2005 Landry et al., 2001 Lavis
  et al., 2003 Moed et al, 2002 Molas Gallart et
  al., 2002).
• Currently, Regional and National RD Systems ?
  European emerging policy interest (VII Research
  Framework Program).
• CSIC-The Spanish Council for Scientific
  Researchs emphasis ? interaction with transfer
  recipients and beneficiaries of its research
  activities in social sciences and humanities area.

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INTRODUCTION (2)

• Our analytical framework is based on the typology
  of knowledge transfer dimensions identified by
  Bozeman (2000)
• Transfer object The content and form of what is
  transferred, the transfer entity.
• Transfer recipient The organization or
  institution receiving the transfer object.
• Demand environment Factors (market and
  non-market) pertaining to the need for the
  transferred object.
• Transfer medium The vehicle (formal or informal)
  by which the Knowledge is transferred.
• Transfer agent The institution or organization
  seeking to transfer the technology.
• These dimensions help us to define the main
  elements to structure and elaborate our work and
  analysis of agents interactions.

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OBJECTIVES

• Contributing to understand the main factors and
  agents participating in knowledge transfer
  activities.
• Identifying and analysing
• Specific features of Humanities at CSIC
• Humanities as a knowledge area, their research
  groups, their research institutes, their
  structural-managerial-political factors and their
  transfer recipients characteristics.
• Factors that can enable or hinder relations
  between CSICs Humanities Research Groups and
  their social economic setting.

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METHODOLOGY
Survey of CSICs Humanities Research Groups
Leaders
2 Research Tools

• SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW (29 questions)
• Identification of groups and their members.
• Scientific activity, abilities and knowledge of
  the group.
• Main research outcomes and their situation
  related to knowledge transfer.
• Experience in collaborating with firms, public
  institutions, scientific groups, governments,
  non-profit organizations, non-governmental
  organizations...
• Potential and current transfer recipients of
  their research results, and their situation
  related to knowledge transfer (NACE).
• Keywords, scientific and social economic codes
  (UNESCO...).

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METHODOLOGY (2)
Survey of CSICs Humanities Research Groups
Leaders

• 2) CHECKLIST (49 items)
• 1) Research Groups Features. Groups general
  features, Mode of work, Openness to change,
  Attitude to and phases of transfer process.
• 2) Institutes Features. Mode of work, Transfer
  support .
• 3) Knowledge Areas Features. Openness to change,
  Attitude to transfer.
• 4) CSICs Policy Features. Institutional support
  to area, Transfer incentives.
• 5) CSICs Management Features. Managerial
  procedures, the perceived efficiency of central
  CSICs support, financial arrangements.
• 6) Transfer Recipients/clients. Users Level of
  transfer.
• Aspects to define agents REAL and IDEAL
  features
• Enablers/Barriers to Knowledge transfer

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DATA

• 6 RD Human Resources of the Spanish Scientific
  System comes from CSIC.
• Humanities Personnel Structure at CSIC
• 180 Tenured Scientist
• 73 Post-doctoral Fellowships
• 116 Pre-doctoral Fellowships
• 240 Research/management Assistants
• Research subject
• CSICs Humanities research groups.
• SAMPLE POPULATION
• 84 research groups belonging to 11 institutes
  from a wide variety of Humanities disciplines
  such as archaeology, anthropology, philosophy,
  philology, history and musicology.

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RESULTS (1) TRANSFER OBJECT

• Humanitiess Transfer Objects
• General or Specific Knowledge and Know-How
  participation in educational
  books, encyclopedias, tour guides, museums
  brochure/catalogue, historical or artistic
  exhibition, music/theatre/cinema productions,
  relevant forums of cultural, social or political
  debate, studies of archaeological impact
• Research Methodologies, Procedures Techniques
  Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote
  Sensing frequently used in historical
  archaeological research, surveys, document/text
  analysis procedures
• Databases and Specific Software document
  management, language translation, voice
  recognition, image digitalization, text
  analysis...
• Reproduction and Use of Heritage books, photos,
  manuscripts, music scores, musical instruments,
  buildings

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RESULTS (2) TRANSFER RECIPIENT

• Humanities research groups have quite a good
  knowledge about at least- some of their
  potential transfer recipients.
• Those transfer recipients neither know nor demand
  enough about the Humanities research groups
  capacities.

• Humanitiess Transfer Recipients
• Culture Enterprises publishers, TV, radio,
  magazines, journals, theatres, music/television/fi
  lm producers
• Museums.
• Cultural Social Associations/Foundations, NPOs,
  NGOs.
• Enterprises related to tourism.
• Engeneering, Computer Science, Architecture
  enterprises-consultancies.
• Local/regional/national/international governments
  and public administrations.

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RESULTS (3) DEMAND ENVIRONMENT

• Frequent Intruders Situation
• Transfer recipients dont feel the need or know
  real advantages of interacting with scientists
• ? Usually collaborate with amateurs.
• ? Difficulties to introduce transferred
  scientific knowledge into market prices or
  values.
• Neither Exclusive nor Confidential Clauses around
  knowledge Transfer Interactions
• Application of scientists knowledge and know how
  to particular situations is required
• ? being shared ? Scientists knowledge doesnt
  lose its value.
• Currently, Innovation Processes in Service
  Sector and Cultural Fields are not well known
• ? Difficulties to find out the right procedures
  and times to introduce scientific Knowledge.

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RESULTS (4) TRANSFER AGENT
Humanities Research Groups collaboration with
non academic interactions
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RESULTS (4) TRANSFER AGENT
Humanities Research Groups Time Distribution
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RESULTS (5) TRANSFER MEDIUM
Groups regular collaboration with non scientific
organizations
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RESULTS (5) TRANSFER MEDIUM

• Humanities research groups need more information
  about specific actions and advantages to
  undertake formal KT activities.

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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT

• Humanities Research Groups Features
• An increase of interactions with social economic
  agents is related to
• Middle-sized groups (5 to 10 members).
• Young researchers presence.
• Multidisciplinarity.
• Stability, planning and leadership at work teams.
  
• Openness to regular use of information
  technologies (Its).
• Collaboration among CSICs groups.
• Participation in scientific inter-institutional
  and national/international networks.

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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT
Getting new potential transfer recipients or
achieving some high level and consolidated
relations implies
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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT
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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT

• More and adapted facilities, information and
  support for administration management tasks and
  managerial procedures.

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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT

• better incentives ? parameter in scientific
  career promotion

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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT

• better incentives ? in group and institutes
  support parameters

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RESULTS (6) TRANSFER AGENT

• better incentives ? adaptation of productivity

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CONCLUSIONS

• Our study develops a useful diagnosis of the
  Humanities current situation and analyses the
  factors explaining the level and forms of
  non-academic interaction among CSICs humanities
  scientists.
• Usually these activities are isolated and
  informal, besides they are carried out through
  personal contacts, so frequently they remain
  invisible to CSICs management and to society.
• Furthermore, in order to increase knowledge
  transfer relations, especially formal ones,
  Humanities Researchers require
• Appropriate Incentives
• Managerial procedures support
• Institutional Support to Collaborations
• Specific Strategies for any scientific area.
• Plans, actions to motivate and promote being
  integrated in and receptive to other social
  economic agents needs.
• One of our main future purposes is achieving and
  extending our survey to other transfer agents
  and scientific areas in order to promote higher
  levels of interaction between researchers and
  their social economic setting.

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THANK YOU!!!
Marián Pérez-Marín mapere_at_ingenio.upv.es www.inge
nio.upv.es
INSTITUTE OF INNOVATION AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT