Work

Third mission as institutional strategies: Between isomorphic forces and heterogeneous pathways

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: By looking at the case of English higher education, this paper addresses the tension between external isomorphic forces and the heterogeneous nature of knowledge exchange activities at individual universities. It adopts an ‘institutional logic’ perspective to explain the heterogeneous pathways that organisations take in response to external environments and their own strategic choices. It draws from qualitative documentary analysis of the third mission institutional strategies of universities, as well as data from the Higher Education Business Community Interaction Survey, to better understand the complex and intertwined contexts of universities’ missions, strategies and perceived external environments. Against the ‘one-size-fit-all’ isomorphic pressures, each university creates its own approaches and models of third mission by targeting different areas of activities, partners and geographical areas, and by combining different set of missions, capabilities and resources. However, there is a significant variety in the extent to which individual higher education institutions can actually implement these strategies.

Source: Science and Public Policy

DOI: 10.1093/scipol/scw015

Authors: Fumi Kitagawa, Mabel Sánchez Barrioluengo, Elvira Uyarra

Institutions: University of Edinburgh, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, University of Manchester

Language: English

Topic: University-Industry-Government Innovation Models

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: green

Funder: European Commission