Why Does Dave Spend Ten Times More Time on Interaction with Industry than Paul? : Toward a Model of Social Capital Activation for Entrepreneurial Academics

This paper focuses on academics that are looking for entrepreneurial ways to pursue their teaching, research and commercialization interests, in particular by actively engaging in university-industry interactions. The paper aims to improve our knowledge of why some academics exploit their social networks with industry more actively than others. We develop a conceptual model that aims to explain a mechanism behind social capital activation, and to identify factors that are likely to have the highest predictive power. We theorize on how academic’s motivation, perceived social influence and perceived ability unite into readiness to activate social capital, and under what circumstances this readiness is likely to result in actual behavior. Specifically, the objective of this paper is to further develop the model constructs and to operationalize them into a set of measurable items. For each of the readiness constructs, we present a set of composite variables, as well as corresponding observable variables. We conclude with implications of our analysis for theory and practice, and set directions for future research

Circular Supply Chains in Emerging Economies – a comparative study of packaging recovery ecosystems in China and Brazil

This paper provides a circular supply chain perspective of packaging recovery ecosystems being implemented by Tetra Pak, a prime global player in the food packaging industry, in two major emerging economies: China and Brazil. The circular supply chain archetype considered in the research allowed a consistent comparative analysis of Tetra Pak’s circular supply chains in both countries. Through a case study approach, the research provides theoretical propositions and learning points that are valuable for academics and practitioners interested in the Chinese and Brazilian markets as well as in the supply chains supporting recovery ecosystems in the packaging industry. In particular, the distinct environments in the Chinese and Brazilian markets render Tetra Pak opportunities to design circular supply chains in different ways showing adaptation and learning to local market characteristics. The industrial perspectives from these emerging economies add to the contributions offered in the paper. Overall, the conceptual considerations and practical recommendations presented in the paper provide useful insights for the development of further studies and implementation of industrial practices advocated by the circular economy

Dissidents of the Ivory Tower: Why academic activate their social capital with industry.

The evidence that economic growth is dependent on university-industry interactions has boosted the number of national and international policies oriented towards promoting such interactions. The design of effective policies and incentive systems, in turn, requires a good understanding of why academics activate their social capital with industry at all. The objective of this research was to develop a comprehensive but parsimonious model that would provide insight into the key determinants of academics’ social capital activation with industry, and to understand and explain the way these factors lead to the actual behavior. We first examined the role of specific motives in forming the general motivation of academics to activate their social capital with industry. We also examined the effects of dispositional factors (i.e., perceived social influence, motivation and perceived ability) and positional factors (i.e., hierarchical position, scientific orientation, scientific domain) on social capital activation. Finally, we explored the moderating and mediating roles of the trigger in the relationship between passive social capital and social capital activation. The results show that decisions academics face with regard to interaction with industry are primarily determined by their experience in the past. Policies building on the notion of prior experience need to aim at creating opportunities for newcomers to get involved in projects with industry at early stages of their academic career

Why Does Dave Spend Ten Times More Time on Interaction with Industry than Paul? Toward a Model of Social Capital Activation for Entrepreneurial Academics

This paper focuses on academics that are looking for entrepreneurial ways to pursue their teaching, research and commercialization interests, in particular by actively engaging in university-industry interactions. The paper aims to improve our knowledge of why some academics exploit their social networks with industry more actively than others. We develop a conceptual model that aims to explain a mechanism behind social capital activation, and to identify factors that are likely to have the highest predictive power. We theorize on how academic’s motivation, perceived social influence and perceived ability unite into readiness to activate social capital, and under what circumstances this readiness is likely to result in actual behavior. Specifically, the objective of this paper is to further develop the model constructs and to operationalize them into a set of measurable items. For each of the readiness constructs, we present a set of composite variables, as well as corresponding observable variables. We conclude with implications of our analysis for theory and practice, and set directions for future research.</jats:p