Science–Business Interaction: Challenges in Defining Knowledge Transfer. Part 1
Research Article
How to Cite
Samovoleva S.A. Science–Business Interaction: Challenges in Defining Knowledge Transfer. Part 1. Science Management: Theory and Practice. 2025. Vol. 7. No. 2. P. 55-71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/smtp.2025.7.2.3 (in Russ.).
Abstract
Studies on cooperation between science and business often focus on the challenges of knowledge transfer, including assessing the effectiveness of this process. However, such works frequently fail to explicate the concept of knowledge transfer, even when conceptualizing or operationalizing it is essential. In Russian legislation, “knowledge transfer” is used as a stable term, although its interpretations remain ambiguous and vary depending on a theoretical framework applied. Diverse theoretical frameworks emphasize distinct aspects of knowledge transfer, ultimately forming a comprehensive understanding of the process. At the same time, discrepancies in underlying theoretical assumptions frequently result in inconsistencies across research findings and terminological confusion. Furthermore, the dominance of particular concepts at different stages in academia inevitably shapes not only researchers’ interpretations of results but also policy decisions. Undoubtedly, defining knowledge transfer is inherently complex, owing to the multifaceted and varied interpretations of the foundational concept of knowledge. Nevertheless, terminology must not be overlooked in research or regulatory documents, as ambiguity undermines both theoretical and practical conclusions. Unlike existing overviews of knowledge transfer approaches, this article analyzes how differing theoretical assumptions influence the interpretation of the concept “knowledge transfer”. It incorporates firm-level approaches that treat organizations as sets of knowledge. The findings of this study may prove valuable for future research on knowledge transfer and for drafting policies that outline strategies for science–business collaboration, as well as the role of research organizations in the science and technology development of a country.
Keywords:
knowledge transfer, research organizations, universities, firms, evolutionary theory, resources, knowledge, organizational learning, absorptive capacity
References
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2. Agrawal A. K. University‐to‐industry knowledge transfer: Literature review and unanswered questions. International Journal of Management Reviews. 2001;3(4):285–302. DOI 10.1111/1468-2370.00069.
3. Plata C. University-industry relationships beyond technology transfer: The role of intangible knowledge. Triple Helix Journal. 2024;11(2):135–169. DOI 10.1163/21971927-bja10046.
4. Krylov P. A. The problem of technology transfer from science to business. Moscow University Economics Bulletin. 2021;(3):220–239. (In Russ.). DOI 10.38050/013001052021310.
5. Anatan L. Conceptual issues in university to industry knowledge transfer studies: A literature review. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2015;211:711–717. DOI 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.090.
6. Finne H., Day A., Piccaluga A., Spithoven A., Walter P., Wellen D. A composite indicator for knowledge transfer: Report from the European Commission’s expert group on knowledge transfer indicator. S.l.; 2011. 50 p.
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8. Polterovich V. M. Once again about where to go: Toward a development strategy in isolation from the West. Journal of the New Economic Association=Zhurnal Novoi ekonomicheskoi assotsiatsii. 2022;(3):238–244. (In Russ.). DOI 10.31737/2221-2264-2022-55-3-17.
9. Polanyi М. Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy / transl. from English. Moscow : Progress; 1985. 344 p. (In Russ.).
10. Popper K. R. Objective knowledge. An evolutionary approach / transl. from English by D. G. Lakhuti ; ed. by V. N. Sadovskii. Moscow : URSS; 2002. 384 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-8360-0327-0.
11. Kumar A. J., Ganesh L. S. Research on knowledge transfer in organizations: A morphology. Journal of Knowledge Management. 2009;13(4):161–174. DOI 10.1108/13673270910971905.
12. Tambovtsev V. L. Strategic theory of the firm: State of the art and possible development [Strategicheskaya teoriya firmy: sostoyanie i vozmozhnoe razvitie]. Russian Management Journal=Rossiiskii zhurnal menedzhmenta. 2010;8(1):5–40. (In Russ.).
13. Nosulenko V. N., Terekhin V. A. Knowledge transfer: An overview of the models and technologies. Experimental Psychology=Eksperimental'naya psikhologiya. 2017;10(4):96–115. (In Russ.). DOI 10.17759/exppsy.2017100407.
14. Mirowski P. The mirage of an economics of knowledge. Version 3.0. May 2007. 48 p. Available at: https://economix.fr/uploads/source/doc/workshops/2007_history_economics/Mirowski.pdf (accessed: 20.05.2025).
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17. Nelson R. R., Winter S. G. An evolutionary theory of economic change. Cambridge, MA ; London : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 1982. xi, 437 p.
18. Zollo M., Winter S. G. From organizational routines to dynamic capabilities. Fontainebleau, France : INSEAD; 1999. 37 p.
19. Winter S. G. The replication perspective on productive knowledge. In: Itami H., Kusunoki K., Numagami T., Takeishi A., eds. Dynamics of knowledge, corporate systems and innovation. Berlin ; Heidelberg : Springer; 2009. P. 95–121. DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-04480-9_5.
20. Nelson R. R., Winter S. G. Evolutionary theorizing in economics. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 2002;16(2):23–46. DOI 10.1257/0895330027247.
21. Szulanski G. The process of knowledge transfer: A diachronic analysis of stickiness. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 2000;82(1):9–27. DOI 10.1006/obhd.2000.2884.
22. Foray D., Steinmueller W. E. Replication of routine, the domestication of tacit knowledge and the economics of inscription technology: A Brave New World? : Paper prepared for the conference in honour of Richard R. Nelson and Sidney G. Winter (DRUID, Aalborg, Denmark, June 12–15, 2001). S.l. 27 p.
23. Jo T.-H. A Veblenian critique of Nelson and Winter’s evolutionary theory. Journal of Economic Issues. 2021;55(4):1101–1117. DOI 10.1080/00213624.2021.1994789.
24. Dopfer K., Nelson R. R. The evolution of evolutionary economics. In: Nelson R., ed. Modern evolutionary economics: An overview. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press; 2018. P. 208–230. DOI 10.1017/9781108661928.007.
25. Wernerfelt B. A resource‐based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal. 1984;5(2):171–180. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250050207.
26. Barney J. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management. 1991;17(1):99–120. DOI 10.1177/014920639101700108.
27. Peteraf M. A. The cornerstones of competitive advantage: A resource‐based view. Strategic Management Journal. 1993;14(3):179–191. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250140303.
28. Veugelers R., Cassiman B. Make and buy in innovation strategies: Evidence from Belgian manufacturing firms. Research Policy. 1999;28(1):63–80. DOI 10.1016/S0048-7333(98)00106-1.
29. Barney J. B., Zajac E. J. Competitive organizational behavior: Toward an organizationally-based theory of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal. 1994;15(S1):5–10. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250150902.
30. Mowery D. C., Oxley J. E., Silverman B. S. Strategic alliances and interfirm knowledge transfer. Strategic Management Journal. 1996;17(S2):77–91. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250171108.
31. Carlsson B., Fridh A.-Ch. Technology transfer in United States universities. Journal of Evolutionary Economics. 2002;12(1–2):199–232. DOI 10.1007/s00191-002-0105-0.
32. Park S.-H., Lee Y.-G. Perspectives on technology transfer strategies of Korean companies in point of resource and capability based view. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation. 2011; 6(1):161–184. DOI 10.4067/S0718-27242011000100013.
33. Ramage S., ed. Privacy – Law of civil liberties. New York ; Lincoln, NE ; Shanghai : iUniverse; 2007. xi, 341 p. ISBN 978-0-595-44901-9.
34. Bloedon R. V., Stokes D. R. Making university/industry collaborative research succeed. Research Technology Management. 1994;37(2):44–48. DOI 10.1080/08956308.1994.11670969.
35. Vera D., Crossan M., Apaydin M. A framework for integrating organizational learning, knowledge, capabilities, and absorptive capacity. In: Easterby-Smith M., Lyles M. A., eds. Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge management. 2nd ed. Chichester : John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 2012. Р. 153–180. DOI 10.1002/9781119207245.ch8.
36. Amesse F., Cohendet P. Technology transfer revisited from the perspective of the knowledge-based economy. Research Policy. 2001;30(9):1459–1478. DOI 10.1016/S0048-7333(01)00162-7.
37. Bercovitz J., Feldman M. Entpreprenerial universities and technology transfer: A conceptual framework for understanding knowledge-based economic development. The Journal of Technology Transfer. 2006;31(1):175–188. DOI 10.1007/s10961-005-5029-z.
38. Lockett A., Thompson S., Morgenstern U. The development of the resource-based view of the firm: A critical appraisal. International Journal of Management Reviews. 2009;11(1):9–28. DOI 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2008.00252.x.
39. Grant R. M. Toward a knowledge‐based theory of the firm. Strategic Management Journal. 1996;17(S2):109–122. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250171110.
40. Pereira V., Bamel U. Extending the resource and knowledge based view: A critical analysis into its theoretical evolution and future research directions. Journal of Business Research. 2021;132:557–570. DOI 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.021.
41. Grant R., Phene A. The knowledge based view and global strategy: Past impact and future potential. Global Strategy Journal. 2022;12(1):3–30. DOI 10.1002/gsj.1399.
42. Siegel D. S., Veugelers R., Wright M. Technology transfer offices and commercialization of university intellectual property: Performance and policy implications. Oxford Review of Economic Policy. 2007;23(4):640–660. DOI 10.1093/oxrep/grm036.
43. Hayter C. S., Rasmussen E., Rooksby J. H. Beyond formal university technology transfer: Innovative pathways for knowledge exchange. The Journal of Technology Transfer. 2020;45(1):1–8. DOI 10.1007/s10961-018-9677-1.
44. Kogut B., Zander U. Knowledge of the firm and the evolutionary theory of the multinational corporation. Journal of International Business Studies. 2003;34(6):516–529. DOI 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400058.
45. Nonaka I., Toyama R., Konno N. SECI, Ba and leadership: a unified model of dynamic knowledge creation. Long Range Planning. 2000;33(1):5–34. DOI 10.1016/S0024-6301(99)00115-6.
46. Anatan L. University to MSMEs knowledge transfer in Indonesia. International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies. 2024;20(5):1–23. DOI 10.1504/ijepee.2024.143188.
47. Chen J., McQueen R. J. Knowledge transfer processes for different experience levels of knowledge recipients at an offshore technical support center. Information Technology & People. 2010;23(1):54–79. DOI 10.1108/09593841011022546.
48. D’Este P., Patel P. University–industry linkages in the UK: What are the factors underlying the variety of interactions with industry? Research Policy. 2007;36(9):1295–1313. DOI 10.1016/j.respol.2007.05.002.
49. Samovoleva S. A. Knowledge absorption in the national innovation system: Issues of analysis, assessment and regulation [Absorbtsiya znanii v natsional'noi innovatsionnoi sisteme: problemy analiza, otsenki i regulirovaniya] : Diss. … Doctor of Economics : 5.2.3. Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the RAS. Moscow; 2023. 373 p. (In Russ.).
50. Gourlay S. Towards conceptual clarity for ‘tacit knowledge’: A review of empirical studies. Knowledge Management Research & Practice. 2006;4(1):60–69. DOI 10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500082.
51. Foss N. J. More critical comments on knowledge-based theories of the firm. Organization Science. 1996;7(5):519–523. DOI 10.1287/orsc.7.5.519.
2. Agrawal A. K. University‐to‐industry knowledge transfer: Literature review and unanswered questions. International Journal of Management Reviews. 2001;3(4):285–302. DOI 10.1111/1468-2370.00069.
3. Plata C. University-industry relationships beyond technology transfer: The role of intangible knowledge. Triple Helix Journal. 2024;11(2):135–169. DOI 10.1163/21971927-bja10046.
4. Krylov P. A. The problem of technology transfer from science to business. Moscow University Economics Bulletin. 2021;(3):220–239. (In Russ.). DOI 10.38050/013001052021310.
5. Anatan L. Conceptual issues in university to industry knowledge transfer studies: A literature review. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2015;211:711–717. DOI 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.090.
6. Finne H., Day A., Piccaluga A., Spithoven A., Walter P., Wellen D. A composite indicator for knowledge transfer: Report from the European Commission’s expert group on knowledge transfer indicator. S.l.; 2011. 50 p.
7. Samovoleva S. A. Challenges for developing national innovation systems: The possibilities and limitations of business and science cooperation. Science Management: Theory and Practice. 2019;1(2):70–89. (In Russ.). DOI 10.19181/smtp.2019.1.2.4.
8. Polterovich V. M. Once again about where to go: Toward a development strategy in isolation from the West. Journal of the New Economic Association=Zhurnal Novoi ekonomicheskoi assotsiatsii. 2022;(3):238–244. (In Russ.). DOI 10.31737/2221-2264-2022-55-3-17.
9. Polanyi М. Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy / transl. from English. Moscow : Progress; 1985. 344 p. (In Russ.).
10. Popper K. R. Objective knowledge. An evolutionary approach / transl. from English by D. G. Lakhuti ; ed. by V. N. Sadovskii. Moscow : URSS; 2002. 384 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-8360-0327-0.
11. Kumar A. J., Ganesh L. S. Research on knowledge transfer in organizations: A morphology. Journal of Knowledge Management. 2009;13(4):161–174. DOI 10.1108/13673270910971905.
12. Tambovtsev V. L. Strategic theory of the firm: State of the art and possible development [Strategicheskaya teoriya firmy: sostoyanie i vozmozhnoe razvitie]. Russian Management Journal=Rossiiskii zhurnal menedzhmenta. 2010;8(1):5–40. (In Russ.).
13. Nosulenko V. N., Terekhin V. A. Knowledge transfer: An overview of the models and technologies. Experimental Psychology=Eksperimental'naya psikhologiya. 2017;10(4):96–115. (In Russ.). DOI 10.17759/exppsy.2017100407.
14. Mirowski P. The mirage of an economics of knowledge. Version 3.0. May 2007. 48 p. Available at: https://economix.fr/uploads/source/doc/workshops/2007_history_economics/Mirowski.pdf (accessed: 20.05.2025).
15. Arrow K. Economic welfare and the allocation of resources for invention. In: Kenneth J., ed. The rate and direction of inventive activity: Economic and social factors. Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press; 1962. P. 609–626. DOI 10.1515/9781400879762-024.
16. Lundvall B.-Å. One knowledge base or many knowledge pools? In: Arena R., Festré A., Lazaric N., eds. Handbook of knowledge and economics. Cheltenham : Edward Elgar Publishing; 2012. P. 285–312. DOI 10.4337/9781781001028.00020.
17. Nelson R. R., Winter S. G. An evolutionary theory of economic change. Cambridge, MA ; London : The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press; 1982. xi, 437 p.
18. Zollo M., Winter S. G. From organizational routines to dynamic capabilities. Fontainebleau, France : INSEAD; 1999. 37 p.
19. Winter S. G. The replication perspective on productive knowledge. In: Itami H., Kusunoki K., Numagami T., Takeishi A., eds. Dynamics of knowledge, corporate systems and innovation. Berlin ; Heidelberg : Springer; 2009. P. 95–121. DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-04480-9_5.
20. Nelson R. R., Winter S. G. Evolutionary theorizing in economics. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 2002;16(2):23–46. DOI 10.1257/0895330027247.
21. Szulanski G. The process of knowledge transfer: A diachronic analysis of stickiness. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 2000;82(1):9–27. DOI 10.1006/obhd.2000.2884.
22. Foray D., Steinmueller W. E. Replication of routine, the domestication of tacit knowledge and the economics of inscription technology: A Brave New World? : Paper prepared for the conference in honour of Richard R. Nelson and Sidney G. Winter (DRUID, Aalborg, Denmark, June 12–15, 2001). S.l. 27 p.
23. Jo T.-H. A Veblenian critique of Nelson and Winter’s evolutionary theory. Journal of Economic Issues. 2021;55(4):1101–1117. DOI 10.1080/00213624.2021.1994789.
24. Dopfer K., Nelson R. R. The evolution of evolutionary economics. In: Nelson R., ed. Modern evolutionary economics: An overview. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press; 2018. P. 208–230. DOI 10.1017/9781108661928.007.
25. Wernerfelt B. A resource‐based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal. 1984;5(2):171–180. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250050207.
26. Barney J. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management. 1991;17(1):99–120. DOI 10.1177/014920639101700108.
27. Peteraf M. A. The cornerstones of competitive advantage: A resource‐based view. Strategic Management Journal. 1993;14(3):179–191. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250140303.
28. Veugelers R., Cassiman B. Make and buy in innovation strategies: Evidence from Belgian manufacturing firms. Research Policy. 1999;28(1):63–80. DOI 10.1016/S0048-7333(98)00106-1.
29. Barney J. B., Zajac E. J. Competitive organizational behavior: Toward an organizationally-based theory of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal. 1994;15(S1):5–10. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250150902.
30. Mowery D. C., Oxley J. E., Silverman B. S. Strategic alliances and interfirm knowledge transfer. Strategic Management Journal. 1996;17(S2):77–91. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250171108.
31. Carlsson B., Fridh A.-Ch. Technology transfer in United States universities. Journal of Evolutionary Economics. 2002;12(1–2):199–232. DOI 10.1007/s00191-002-0105-0.
32. Park S.-H., Lee Y.-G. Perspectives on technology transfer strategies of Korean companies in point of resource and capability based view. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation. 2011; 6(1):161–184. DOI 10.4067/S0718-27242011000100013.
33. Ramage S., ed. Privacy – Law of civil liberties. New York ; Lincoln, NE ; Shanghai : iUniverse; 2007. xi, 341 p. ISBN 978-0-595-44901-9.
34. Bloedon R. V., Stokes D. R. Making university/industry collaborative research succeed. Research Technology Management. 1994;37(2):44–48. DOI 10.1080/08956308.1994.11670969.
35. Vera D., Crossan M., Apaydin M. A framework for integrating organizational learning, knowledge, capabilities, and absorptive capacity. In: Easterby-Smith M., Lyles M. A., eds. Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge management. 2nd ed. Chichester : John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 2012. Р. 153–180. DOI 10.1002/9781119207245.ch8.
36. Amesse F., Cohendet P. Technology transfer revisited from the perspective of the knowledge-based economy. Research Policy. 2001;30(9):1459–1478. DOI 10.1016/S0048-7333(01)00162-7.
37. Bercovitz J., Feldman M. Entpreprenerial universities and technology transfer: A conceptual framework for understanding knowledge-based economic development. The Journal of Technology Transfer. 2006;31(1):175–188. DOI 10.1007/s10961-005-5029-z.
38. Lockett A., Thompson S., Morgenstern U. The development of the resource-based view of the firm: A critical appraisal. International Journal of Management Reviews. 2009;11(1):9–28. DOI 10.1111/j.1468-2370.2008.00252.x.
39. Grant R. M. Toward a knowledge‐based theory of the firm. Strategic Management Journal. 1996;17(S2):109–122. DOI 10.1002/smj.4250171110.
40. Pereira V., Bamel U. Extending the resource and knowledge based view: A critical analysis into its theoretical evolution and future research directions. Journal of Business Research. 2021;132:557–570. DOI 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.021.
41. Grant R., Phene A. The knowledge based view and global strategy: Past impact and future potential. Global Strategy Journal. 2022;12(1):3–30. DOI 10.1002/gsj.1399.
42. Siegel D. S., Veugelers R., Wright M. Technology transfer offices and commercialization of university intellectual property: Performance and policy implications. Oxford Review of Economic Policy. 2007;23(4):640–660. DOI 10.1093/oxrep/grm036.
43. Hayter C. S., Rasmussen E., Rooksby J. H. Beyond formal university technology transfer: Innovative pathways for knowledge exchange. The Journal of Technology Transfer. 2020;45(1):1–8. DOI 10.1007/s10961-018-9677-1.
44. Kogut B., Zander U. Knowledge of the firm and the evolutionary theory of the multinational corporation. Journal of International Business Studies. 2003;34(6):516–529. DOI 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400058.
45. Nonaka I., Toyama R., Konno N. SECI, Ba and leadership: a unified model of dynamic knowledge creation. Long Range Planning. 2000;33(1):5–34. DOI 10.1016/S0024-6301(99)00115-6.
46. Anatan L. University to MSMEs knowledge transfer in Indonesia. International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies. 2024;20(5):1–23. DOI 10.1504/ijepee.2024.143188.
47. Chen J., McQueen R. J. Knowledge transfer processes for different experience levels of knowledge recipients at an offshore technical support center. Information Technology & People. 2010;23(1):54–79. DOI 10.1108/09593841011022546.
48. D’Este P., Patel P. University–industry linkages in the UK: What are the factors underlying the variety of interactions with industry? Research Policy. 2007;36(9):1295–1313. DOI 10.1016/j.respol.2007.05.002.
49. Samovoleva S. A. Knowledge absorption in the national innovation system: Issues of analysis, assessment and regulation [Absorbtsiya znanii v natsional'noi innovatsionnoi sisteme: problemy analiza, otsenki i regulirovaniya] : Diss. … Doctor of Economics : 5.2.3. Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the RAS. Moscow; 2023. 373 p. (In Russ.).
50. Gourlay S. Towards conceptual clarity for ‘tacit knowledge’: A review of empirical studies. Knowledge Management Research & Practice. 2006;4(1):60–69. DOI 10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500082.
51. Foss N. J. More critical comments on knowledge-based theories of the firm. Organization Science. 1996;7(5):519–523. DOI 10.1287/orsc.7.5.519.
Article
Received: 10.04.2025
Accepted: 25.06.2025
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APA
Samovoleva, S. A. (2025). Science–Business Interaction: Challenges in Defining Knowledge Transfer. Part 1. Science Management: Theory and Practice, 7(2), 55-71. https://doi.org/10.19181/smtp.2025.7.2.3
Section
Problems of Innovation Development
