Interpretive structural modeling of key factors for academy-industry linkage process – the mexican case

Abstract

Innovation is a well-recognized key factor to increase country competitiveness. National innovation process has been described by the interaction among academy, industry and government in the triple helix model. In real world, it is difficult to implement the triple helix model in a region due to the existence of barriers that inhibit the linkage process. Literature has focused on academy – industry collaboration, because the proper link of these two actors generates more knowledge and innovation. However, academy and industry collaboration has not been implemented in a successful manner in many countries. The research purpose is to model the relationships of the key factors by using interpretative structural modeling (ISM). The main findings were that there is a significant division between academy and industry factors, the collaboration is made essentially within innovation poles with the participation of researchers, experts and students through technological extension services offered by academy. Regarding the model, it shows a good representation of the relationship among factors that helps academy and industry to understand the influence of one factor upon another, and develop strategies that create internal and structural changes that promote innovative collaboration, and that influence the environment in order to generate public policies that facilitate collaboration, creation of innovation poles, and increase public Financing.