Bridging the qualitative-quantitative divide in knowledge transfer studies: the use of QCA in the exploration of university-industry relationships

the use of QCA in the exploration of university-industry relationships

Abstract

This article uses Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to study knowledge-transfer processes that are difficult to observe due to the absence of standardized data sources. It examines university–industry relationships and focuses on firms’ chances of developing R&D projects and services within a local innovation system. The article makes methodological and substantive contributions. First, micro- and meso-level qualitative approaches move towards the tradition of quantitative studies on science through a process that illustrates the construction of quantifiable dimensions and their possibilities of analysis. Second, analysis reveals the conditioning factors that influence non-R&D-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into using university knowledge. The conclusions highlight the possibilities of this methodology’s cross-fertilization with other approaches in the empirical study of science and innovation.