Bridging the Cultural Divide: University-Industry Research Collaborations in Japan, the United States and Korea

University-industry research collaborations (UICs) are globally increasing and offer substantial potential benefits for both sides. However, they are difficult to manage due to strong differences in organizational cultures between academia and industry. An analysis of survey data from more than 600 UICs and of case studies in Japan, the United States and Korea reveals various similarities and differences across the three countries. UICs in Japan and the United States tend to benefit from the richer experience companies and universities in the two countries have with such projects when compared with Korea. In contrast to the two Asian countries, demands by universities’ technology transfer offices tend to hamper UICs in the United States. Across all three countries, key UIC success factors are pre-existing ties between the partners, similarities in backgrounds and working styles, the existence of innovation champions who promote the project, and inter-organizational trust.