Modelling an environmental context for collaborative research productivity: perceptions about knowledge sharing from Pakistani universities

The study aims at theorising and modelling an environmental context based on assessment of organisational processes that can promote intra-organisational collaborative knowledge sharing for research productivity in Pakistani universities. A fine grained qualitative approach based on 30 semi-structured interviews reveal four successive stages of the proposed model: defining priorities; designing structures and streamlining works and processes; performing efficiently to materialise commercialisation through quality research output; and rewarding to encourage knowledge sharing as a continued activity. The study contributes significantly to accelerate economic growth in Pakistan as it analyses the main issues, such as infrastructural deficiencies and work related cultural barriers, which serve to hinder collaborative knowledge sharing among researchers in Pakistan. By implication, the model suits the requirements of the developing societies that have been struggling over the years to promote research commercialisation and entrepreneurship. The study also spells out recommendations for institutional policy makers.