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Strengthening Knowledge Co-Production Capacity: Examining Interest in Community-University Partnerships

Author

Listed:
  • Karen Hutchins

    (Department of Communication & Journalism, University of Maine, 5724 Dunn Hall, Room 420, Orono, ME 04469, USA)

  • Laura A Lindenfeld

    (Department of Communication & Journalism, University of Maine, 5724 Dunn Hall, Room 420, Orono, ME 04469, USA)

  • Kathleen P. Bell

    (School of Economics, University of Maine, 200 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA)

  • Jessica Leahy

    (School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 241 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA)

  • Linda Silka

    (School of Economics, University of Maine, 5784 York Complex, Bldg. 4, Orono, ME 04469, USA)

Abstract

Building successful, enduring research partnerships is essential for improving links between knowledge and action to address sustainability challenges. Communication research can play a critical role in fostering more effective research partnerships, especially those concerned with knowledge co-production processes. This article focuses on community-university research partnerships and factors that influence participation in the co-production process. We identify specific pathways for improving partnership development through a prospective analytical approach that examines community officials’ interest in partnering with university researchers. Using survey responses from a statewide sample of Maine municipal officials, we conduct a statistical analysis of community-university partnership potential to test a conceptual model of partnership interest grounded in natural resource management theory and environmental communication. Our findings both support and advance prior research on collaborations. Results reveal that belief in the helpfulness of the collaborator to solve problems, institutional proximity, familiarity, perceived problem severity and problem type and trust influence interest in developing community-university partnerships. These findings underscore the benefits of proactively assessing partnership potential prior to forming partnerships and the important roles for communication research within sustainability science, especially with regard to strengthening partnership formation and knowledge co-production processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Hutchins & Laura A Lindenfeld & Kathleen P. Bell & Jessica Leahy & Linda Silka, 2013. "Strengthening Knowledge Co-Production Capacity: Examining Interest in Community-University Partnerships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(9), pages 1-27, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:9:p:3744-3770:d:28547
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Timothy M. Waring & Sandra Hughes Goff & Julia McGuire & Z. Dylan Moore & Abigail Sullivan, 2014. "Cooperation across Organizational Boundaries: Experimental Evidence from a Major Sustainability Science Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Lovely S. Mores & Jeongwoo Lee & Woongkyoo Bae, 2019. "University-Community Partnerships: A Local Planning Co-Production Study on Calabarzon, Philippines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Carlie D. Trott & Andrea E. Weinberg & Laura B. Sample McMeeking, 2018. "Prefiguring Sustainability through Participatory Action Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Reflections and Recommendations for Student Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Eileen S. Johnson & Kathleen P. Bell & Jessica E. Leahy, 2018. "Managing the science-policy boundary: implications for river restoration," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 8(3), pages 281-289, September.
    5. Tian Guo & Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt & G. Philip Robertson, 2025. "Building ties at multi-stakeholder engagement events to facilitate social learning about contentious issues in natural resource management," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 42(2), pages 983-996, June.

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