Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The story of a university knowledge exchange actor-network told through the sociology of translation: a case study
AU - Smith, S M
AU - Rose, M B
AU - Hamilton, E E
PY - 2010/12/31
Y1 - 2010/12/31
N2 - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to tell the story of the evolution of knowledge exchange (KE) activity within a department in a university in the north west of England and to understand this activity through the lens of actor-network theory.Design/methodology/approach – Applying the sociology of translation to one qualitative interview shows how different actors were enrolled and mobilized into a KE actor-network. The process of translation consists of four stages, problematisation, enrolment, interessement and mobilisation of allies which have been applied to the data to tell the story of the KE actor-network. This is a cross-disciplinary approach using a theoretical framework from sociology and applying it to a management/organizational context.Findings – This framework brings fresh ways of looking at the importance of KE networks within universities. Although limited to one interview, the methodology allows for an in-depth reading of the data and shows how resilient and flexible this actor-network is to withstand and respond appropriately to shifts in policy and subsequent provisions for small- and medium-sized enterprise business support.Originality/value – Building from one case, the paper concludes that this account adds to an historical understanding of how universities become involved with KE activities. The inclusion of non-human actors allows for a deeper understanding of the actor-network and shows the importance of actors such as White Papers, pots of funding and physical buildings to the role of KE within higher education.
AB - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to tell the story of the evolution of knowledge exchange (KE) activity within a department in a university in the north west of England and to understand this activity through the lens of actor-network theory.Design/methodology/approach – Applying the sociology of translation to one qualitative interview shows how different actors were enrolled and mobilized into a KE actor-network. The process of translation consists of four stages, problematisation, enrolment, interessement and mobilisation of allies which have been applied to the data to tell the story of the KE actor-network. This is a cross-disciplinary approach using a theoretical framework from sociology and applying it to a management/organizational context.Findings – This framework brings fresh ways of looking at the importance of KE networks within universities. Although limited to one interview, the methodology allows for an in-depth reading of the data and shows how resilient and flexible this actor-network is to withstand and respond appropriately to shifts in policy and subsequent provisions for small- and medium-sized enterprise business support.Originality/value – Building from one case, the paper concludes that this account adds to an historical understanding of how universities become involved with KE activities. The inclusion of non-human actors allows for a deeper understanding of the actor-network and shows the importance of actors such as White Papers, pots of funding and physical buildings to the role of KE within higher education.
KW - Buildings
KW - England
KW - Financing
KW - Knowledge transfer
KW - Small to medium-sized enterprises
KW - Universities
U2 - 10.1108/13552551011082470
DO - 10.1108/13552551011082470
M3 - Journal article
VL - 16
SP - 502
EP - 516
JO - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research
JF - International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research
SN - 1355-2554
IS - 6
ER -