University research centers: research environment characterization

Abstract

The possibilities for closer relations between universities and companies through University Research Centers (URCs) have created opportunities for knowledge development and technological advancement, among other advantages. Understanding existing relationships between these actors improve technological and social development of this environment. This paper aims to understand how the collaborative environment formed by URCs, Universities, and Companies is characterized. Through a systematic literature review, based on searches in the Scopus and Web of Science, 63 articles made up the final sample. The results show the characteristics of URCs, motivations of the actors to establish relationships, main modalities and forms of collaboration, measurement of results of collaboration, performance of UCRs, and knowledge and technology transfers among employees. The research reveals that the human capital theory, the resource-based view, the institutional theory, and the institutional logic are the main theoretical lenses used in the analyzed studies. Finally, we present a framework that integrates the discussed elements.

Keywords:
Research Centers; Theories; University research.