Factors of university–industry collaboration affecting university innovation performance

The rapid development of technology and knowledge-based economies has drawn attention to the linkage between academic institutions and private industries. Universities are a major source of knowledge creation; different industries are increasingly recognizing the importance of scientific knowledge creation and seeking alliances with universities to not only enhance their knowledge base but also gain a competitive advantage. To facilitate university–industry collaborations (UICs), financial support from governments and industries is necessary for resource allocation. This study investigates the effects of UIC funding on universities’ technology innovation performance in Taiwan. The Taiwanese government has implemented a variety of policies and programs to enhance the research innovation capability of universities and bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application. Three fundamental factors of UIC environments within universities—namely, management mechanism, innovation climate, and reward system—are identified as critical antecedents of UIC funding and universities’ technology innovation performance. The results reveal that UIC funding is directly instrumental to universities’ technology innovation. The UIC management mechanism and innovation climate within universities support diverse UIC funding. In addition, mechanism incentives affect directly and moderately university researchers’ involvement in and contribution to technology innovation.