University Knowledge Commercialisation through an Institutional Logics
Perspective: the case of Oman
Key Words: Knowledge Commercialisation, Institutions, Institutional Logics,
Power, Intermediating, Networking
University Knowledge Commercialisation‘ (UKC) has come to be seen as a
stimulant for developing economic performance. Regardless of the increasing
body of literature in the UKC, it is revealed to be undertheorized, whilst existing
theories are the result of inductive theorizing based on successful KC stories
within the western context. Moreover, the literature provides modest practical
directions and pay insufficient attention to the role of mechanisms, such as
power, mimetic isomorphism, and intermediation, in bridging differences in
institutional logics between actors. These gaps inspired the study aim, which is
to explore the implication of such mechanisms in bridging differences in logics
within UKC institutionally emerging context, Oman.
Through a qualitative, multiple case-study approach, data was collected from
four contract research projects through semi-structured interviews. The first
three interviews served as a pilot study, the results of which were then used to
formulate the second stage which was interviews with participants from
academia, industry, and government. This approach improves the internal
validity of the research, and provides a rich picture of the Omani UKC emerging
institutional environment.
The findings suggest that the influences of power, mimetic isomorphism, and
intermediation have significantly shaped bridging, though not always positively
in logics in the Omani UKC context. The findings show that adverse influences
in this process included: asymmetric power relationships, mimetic
isomorphism‘s simplistic view of logics convergence and negligence of
institutional fragmentation, and insufficient intermediation activities.
The novelty of introducing the concept of power adds a new theoretical
dimension into the UKC and ILP theories. Additionally, the novelty of using
case of Oman as an empirical study added new contribution into the field. In
addition, this study contributes to a better understanding of the Omani policy
actions with regard to shift to an effective UKC approach.
University Knowledge Commercialisation through an Institutional Logics
Perspective: the case of Oman
Key Words: Knowledge Commercialisation, Institutions, Institutional Logics,
Power, Intermediating, Networking
University Knowledge Commercialisation‘ (UKC) has come to be seen as a
stimulant...