Enterprise Open Innovation Based On University-industry Knowledge Transfer

University-industry knowledge transferring (U-I KT) is an important channel ofacquiring outside knowledge for high-tech enterprises, which is also a key openinnovation pattern that takes the important route for upgrading industrial structures inour country. But there are lots of problems on taking the way of open innovation basedon U-I KT. For examples, the efficiency of transforming universities’ knowledge is low;the relationship of innovation cooperation between university and industry is unstable;the mechanism of U-I KT is not perfect; the chain of innovation is not unhindered, et al.These problems initiate the discussing and researching for the innovation cooperationbehavior between university and industry in academic. But through the literature review,most of them focus the impact of the open innovation for innovation performance andU-I KT’s efficiency. There are affluent channel resources of U-I KT, however, the levelof exploiting which influences the innovation performance and at the same time isaffected by factors in the process of U-I KT. Therefore, the research working on thefeatures of open innovation behavior based on the U-I KT and the behavior evolution isbenefit to improve the recognition for enterprises’ open innovation pattern and providethe recommendations for innovation managers. Yet the literatures relating to theseresearch focuses are insufficient. With the background this paper launches the researchworking about the following facets by standing the enterprises’ view.(1)Firstly, the factor model of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT isconstructed. Through the U-I KT communication theory, there are some factors’ featuresto be analyzed about motivation, absorptive capacity, disseminative capacity,intellectual property right (IPR) relationship. On these factors some hypothesis andcorresponding theory model are built from the innovation open breadth and depth.(2)Secondly, the factor model of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT isempirically tested. According to the method of questionnaire, some constructs andscales are designed: the innovation open breadth and depth based on U-I KT, absorptivecapacity, disseminative capacity and IPR conflicts between university and industry. Bysending and receiving the questionnaires, the data are collected. Testing the scales’validity and reliability is by EFA and CFA, and then the scales’ structures are checkedand confirmed. The structure equity model (SEM) and AMOS software are used for data dealing and analyzing. The empirical results are obtained after testing the hypothesisabout the factor model of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT.(3)Thirdly, the evolution principles of open innovation behavior based on U-I KTare revealed by System Dynamics simulation. On the basis of the dynamic phasingprocess model and the empirical results, the causality model of open innovation basedon U-I KT is built. The rate variable fundamental in-tree is adopted in constructing thesystem flow graph model and equations. The Vensim software is used to simulate theevolution of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT. Furthermore, sensitivityanalysis towards the absorptive capacity, disseminative capacity, IPR conflict factor,knowledge effectiveness factor, knowledge difference, knowledge fitness, knowledgecomplexity et al. is applied for finding the key factors impacting the system evolutionand policy designing.From the above theory analysis, empirical testing and system simulation, someconclusions are obtained.(1)Only the existence motivation affects significantly the open innovation behaviorbased on U-I KT. This implies that although the enterprise expects to improve thecompetence by means of innovation cooperation with universities, U-I KT activities,and to maintain the cooperation relationship. But the activities of innovationcooperation between university and industry are in the initial and growing phase inwhich enterprises are confronted with lots of lower level requirements of funds, laborresources, shortening the development cycle that indicates it is realistic and rational.Simultaneously, the existence motivation is not growing limitlessly in the long run,while it is gradually stabilized. After it enterprises try to find the higher levelrequirements.(2)The assimilative capacity of the potential absorptive capacity can impact theinnovation open breadth based on U-I KT. Meanwhile, the knowledge exploitedcapacity of realized absorptive capacity affects the innovation open depth significantly.The absorptive capacity is in the status of equilibrium to affect the openness, yet theexploiting capacity play the conspicuous role of affecting the innovation performance.In addition the realized absorptive capacity actually brings out the IPR conflictsbetween university and industry.(3)The disseminative capacity of universities is affecting the innovation open depthof U-I KT, but not the breadth. And the disseminative capacity does not make better the effect of improving the innovation open depth and innovation performance. But holdingthe level of dissemination is necessary.(4)The negative impact to the innovation openness is created by the IPR conflicts.Measures to deal with IPR conflicts with efforts are the key factors to change thenegative impact on the innovation performance.(5)The emphasis of activities of U-I KT is on the knowledge trading pattern thatfits the existence motivation is the key requirement. But the channels of U-I KT can beexploited sufficiently by accelerating the improvement of knowledge transformation,enhancing the measures of dealing with IPR conflicts et al. This will ameliorate thepromoting of innovation performance.(6)There are some key factors which can change the mode of system evolution.These key factors are able to be used for policies designing of overcoming thedeclination of innovation performance caused by over-openness.The innovations of this research are showed from the followings compared to theresearches in this field:(1)The factor model of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT is constructedand tested by the empirical study. This expands the theory of enterprise open innovationbehavior from the level of U-I KT.(2)Hierarchical motivations of U-I KT with the ERG model create the refiningresearch results about the U-I KT behavior.(3)The system dynamics model of open innovation behavior based on U-I KT issimulated that gives the results of evolution principles and gets the system archetypesby feedback loops analysis on the complex system.(4)The key factors of impacting the open innovation behavior and innovationperformance evolution based on U-I KT are found by sensitivity analysis in systemdynamics.