CRITICAL FACTORS OF KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND ENTERPRISE

ABSTRACT

The objective of the research was to identify the critical factors of knowledge transfer (KT) between a Brazilian Public University and partner companies and to analyze how they influenced the process performance. The theoretical review included a discussion about the factors that, according to the literature in the area, decisively influence the CT between U-E. In methodological terms, a qualitative research was carried out based on the instrumental case study method, and two projects developed between the Brazilian Public University and partner companies were analyzed from 14 interviews and secondary documents. The results show that two factors were decisive for KT: the relationship established between the Brazilian Public University and partner companies, and the characteristics of the teacher (his know-how and his motivation. While the relationship contributed to minimize the perception of cultural distance between U-E, the know-how of the teachers made the partnership attractive from the perspective of the company.

Knowledge transfer; university-company interaction; critical factors of KT