SCIENTISTS' ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCIES AS DETERMINANTS OF UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION

Globalization and technological development make intangible assets of the organization increasingly important. In the conditions of knowledge-based economy, gaining a lasting competitive advantage is possible only with growing knowledge and competences of the organization and its employees. In recent years, entrepreneurial competences have been analysed in the context of representatives of various social groups, i.e. students and graduates, employees or scientists. Currently, representatives of the academia are expected to have not only skills related to conducting scientific research or didactic work, but also, competences which are necessary to establish and maintain lasting relationships with university stakeholders. The changing role of the university causes the necessity to establish cooperation with the economic environment, including the commercialization of the results of scientific research. Links between companies and universities in this area gain importance with swift technological changes and the need to respond to these changes in the context of the functioning of the knowledge-based economy. The issue of the presented article concerns the entrepreneurial competences of scientists in the context of cooperation between a university and companies. The aim of the conducted research was an attempt to identify scientists' competences which determine successful cooperation with businesses. Empirical research was carried out using the interview method. Interviews were conducted in 2017 in Lublin, with representatives of enterprises participating in the implementation of innovative products resulting from the process of commercialization of research results and employees of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer of the Lublin University of Technology. The analysis of research results allowed to conceptualize the model of entrepreneurial skills of scientists - active participants in the commercialization process.