Proposing a Conceptual Framework on Factors to Develop Successful University Industry R&D Collaboration in Malaysia

Abstract

R&D collaboration between university and industry is very important as a result of the changes of economic environments and technologies. Currently, universities act as important external institutions for industries in order to enhance their innovations by implementing R&D collaboration. This is due to the benefits of these activities to both institutions involved in the collaboration. However, in Malaysia, the level of collaboration is still low and it is difficult to determine the success of collaborative projects. Because of these issues, the researcher aims to determine the factors that contribute towards the development of successful university-industry R&D collaborations and, at the same time, to suggest the best practices should the collaborative stakeholders are implemented. This study is based on the review of the findings generated from previous researches done in this field of study. Results show that there are three factors that contribute to successful R&D collaboration, namely contextual, process and organizational factors. These factors can be used to establish a successful collaboration and lead to effective outcomes beneficial to the country and the societies.