Knowledge transfer in the University-Industry interaction:

a case studies analysis

Abstract

The process of knowledge transfer is linked to the appropriation and use of
knowledge, which is transmitted from a sender to a receiver in an interaction
environment. This process is approached in the concept of Triple Helix, which is the
interactive relationship between three independent but economically collaborative
agents: University, Government and Industry. Studying the transfer of knowledge in
the University-Industry interaction, specifically, is justified by the understanding that
these are the actors with the greatest capacity to generate interchangeable products,
processes and innovations, while the Government acts with greater emphasis on the
fomentation and financing of these relations. In this sense, the objective is to reflect
on how the process of knowledge transfer occurs in the University-Industry interaction
from the analysis of case studies carried out in Brazilian Universities and Federal
Institutes of Education. Based on the analysis of the six case studies retrieved, it was
possible to identify the motivators, facilitators, barriers and characteristics of the
information flow between universities and companies. Thus, it was noticed that in the
analyzed studies the existence of the bidirectional flow of knowledge transfer
predominates and that when a unilateral flow is identified, the knowledge is
transmitted from the university to the industry.