Academic-Business Liaison and Engagement [ABLE]

Significant research is produced in the academic sector, often without recourse to industry or practitioner requirements. Leveraging the research output of academia can only be effectively maximised by collaborative, contextual approaches to its design and interpretation, and where both researchers and practitioners consider each other's requirements.

So far, generally poor levels of engagement between academics and practitioners has done little to enhance competitiveness and industrial performance. To counteract this, effective academic -business engagement requires the development of a greater understanding of the knowledge needs of the business communities by academia, the awareness and greater understanding of the knowledge available from Universities, and the provision of a framework for collaboration, particularly identifying cross-disciplinary opportunities leveraging the wide knowledge base that exists.

Engagement is considered from the following perspectives: context, content and processes. The context relates to the operating environment that the firm is in and the alignment of the firm's goals and objective with that environment. This means that firms can adopt both formal and informal approaches to the demands of the operating environment by engaging in formal or informal business-academia collaboration. The content refers to the programme of action areas selected as part of the collaboration framework. Finally, the process refers to how the collaboration is handled - its organization and coordination, as well as motivation and incentives.

The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between academia and practitioners is reflected in the range of activities to encourage and facilitate it.

A significant number of businesses will be identified that have potential for greater competitive advantage. Collaboration will involve functional forum activities. These include forums on marketing, HR, Innovation and SME's, engagement fellowships and placements, engagement workshops/distinguished professorial addresses and a high profile series of distinguished addresses from high profile national and international business leaders. Finally, a Business Summit will provide a focus to bring together all those involved in the activities. A major high profile academic and/or business leader will be the keynote speaker(s) at this event.

The proposed project will be of direct benefit to the private sector by providing a process throughwhich local business can engage with academic institutions. The approach aims to provide a major opportunity for academic-business engagement by delivering targeted knowledge exchange between firms and the University in a structured and coherent manner. The impacts upon the selected placement firms are to include increased revenues, market share and new competences, as a result of engagement with academia. IoD South West and its 3,500 members will gain benefit through being seen as the conduit for KE activity between industry and academia as will the Bristol& Bath Science Park. All parties will benefit from gaining greater awareness of each other's requirements.

Policy makers and public sector agencies will gain benefit from the resultant assessment of the selection process for KE partners and outcome of subsequent placements. High value learning will be gained from development of a methodology to identify firms with a high propensity to benefit from knowledge exchange between institutions through placements. Whilst the firm assessment process is planned to include an assessment of existing process, capabilities, a knowledge audit and direct interviewing of firm members. It is expected that context of the placement will guide the actual activity and lead to emergent outcomes. The resultant process will be captured as part of the phase reporting, leading to impact assessment and process critique as part of the final phase review. The output will be a guide for future targeted KE placement activity, leading to greater value delivery from agencies funding such activities.
This approach is highly relevant to beneficiaries as academic and business engagement has often been less than effective. Industry will gain access to university knowledge which may lead to them achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Likewise, academia will benefit from access to local business and potential sponsors for research. The work supports the core aims of the IoD and Business West [information and advice] and BBSP [innovation support] to help their respective businesses to succeed.
Impacts arising will include enhanced growth and competitive advantage gained from KE activities arising as a direct result of the project. Nationally, the proposed work has potential for cross-sector impact as demonstration of successful approach to KE through reciprocal placements could lead to a national programme of KE Placement Fellowships.
The novel approach proposed to transfer knowledge between academic institutions and business will help foster UK competitiveness.
KE Placements may lead to rapid changes in process or strategic approach. The timescale to realise benefits through to the bottom line of the target businesses can only be appreciated through analysis of quarterly and annual comparative performance data. It may be a number of years before substantial gains may be apparent, particularly where business expand and invest. As such, the impact review will examine qualitative judgements for impact assessment from managers and academic staff in addition to comparative analysis of returns.
In addition to the new skills developed, as a direct result of KE activity, private sector firms and the IoD will develop an understanding and the skill set to engage with academia. This will include an understanding of the different methods of engagement, such as research, KTP, CPD etc. Staff within all parties will develop skills to develop high value inter- organisational KE activity.
The process of engagement will be monitored and reviewed through a combination of observation and in-depth interviews. The purpose of this will be to review the progress and effectiveness of the activities on an ongoing basis in order to make adjustments to the programme as it progresses and to publish the learning on academic/practioner engagement as it emerges.