From Purpose to Impact: The University and Business Partnership

To meet the challenge of closing the gap between academic research and industry practice, we need a step change in how the business school and the business scholar engages with business. This book presents best practice in the methods of broadening successful academic–business engagement on a major scale. It presents concrete recommendations for setting programmes, creating incentives and structuring recruitment that will transform effective academic–business engagement.

Most universities claim to have significant links with industry and the professions, but, in reality, only a limited number of business scholars are engaged with industry. A focus on ‘impact’ presents an additional potential trap, confusing promotion of research and tactical tips and tricks, with genuine engagement. This book explores the increasing number of new and innovative partnerships and collaborative activities, and looks at how academics can adapt to and leverage these new opportunities. It focuses on the academic as the primary driver of the external relationship and outlines the skills and capabilities needed to proactively develop engagement. Finally, the book provides a number of examples of best practice from a range of countries.

Written by senior business scholars and leaders from around the world, and with examples of best practice included from leading universities, this book gives universities the insight needed to develop a broader range of relationships with businesses and to have genuine engagement and impact in practice.

Nicholas O’Regan is Professor in Strategy at Aston Business School. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Fellow of the British Academy of Management.