An Examination of the 'Boundary' between Academia and Industry
A Conceptual Framework for Defining the Role of Entrepreneurial Support Personnel in Startup Ecosystem
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Chihiro TSUJIMURA
Kyoto University Graduate School of Economics
https://researchmap.jp/ctsujimura
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51094/jxiv.1353Keywords:
boundary spanners, industry-academia collaboration, organizational boundaries, research commercializationAbstract
This paper aims to define the role of "entrepreneurial support personnel," a key player in Japan's startup ecosystem, focusing on the "boundary" between academia and industry. Through a narrative review of existing literature, this study explores the challenges in industry-academia collaboration, particularly concerning the commercialization of academic research. The analysis reveals that the differing motivations and outcomes between academia and industry create significant boundaries. Universities prioritize research, while industries focus on economic gains. These disparities, coupled with the inherent "stickiness" and "translatability" of knowledge, impede effective collaboration. To bridge these gaps, the concept of "boundary spanner" is introduced. This study proposes that entrepreneurial support personnel act as boundary spanners, fulfilling roles such as defining boundaries, translating information, building collaborative frameworks, and facilitating knowledge flow. They play a crucial role in mitigating conflicts arising from differing organizational identities and objectives. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for empirical research to validate the proposed model and explore the practical implications of boundary spanning in industry-academia collaboration.
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Submitted: 2025-07-02 17:20:01 UTC
Published: 2025-07-04 04:38:57 UTC
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