IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v5y2013i9p3744-3770d28547.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/9/3744/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/5/9/3744/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. R. J. Johnson & M. J. Scicchitano, 2009. "Willing and able: explaining individuals' engagement in environmental policy making," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(6), pages 833-846.
    2. repec:hrv:hksfac:5345878 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Ryan Plummer & Julia Baird, 2013. "Adaptive Co-Management for Climate Change Adaptation: Considerations for the Barents Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Wing, S. & Horton, R.A. & Muhammad, N. & Grant, G.R. & Tajik, M. & Thu, K., 2008. "Integrating epidemiology, education, and organizing for environmental justice: Community health effects of industrial hog operations," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1390-1397.
    5. John T. Wilbanks & Thomas J. Wilbanks, 2010. "Science, Open Communication and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-23, April.
    6. Baruch Fischhoff, 2011. "Applying the science of communication to the communication of science," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 108(4), pages 701-705, October.
    7. McComas, Katherine A. & Stedman, Richard & Sol Hart, P., 2011. "Community support for campus approaches to sustainable energy use: The role of "town-gown" relationships," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2310-2318, May.
    8. Clark, William C. & Tomich, Thomas P. & Noordwijk, Meine van & Guston, David & Delia, Catacutan & Dickson, Nancy M. & McNie, Elizabeth, 2011. "Boundary Work for Sustainable Development: Natural Resource Management at the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)," Scholarly Articles 9774653, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    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.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. S. Lorenz & S. Dessai & J. Paavola & P. Forster, 2015. "The communication of physical science uncertainty in European National Adaptation Strategies," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 143-155, September.
    2. Xieyang Chen & Xingmin Shi, 2021. "Support or against coal mining? Host community perceptions of coal mining: a cluster analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 6819-6837, May.
    3. Jens Koehrsen, 2017. "Boundary Bridging Arrangements: A Boundary Work Approach to Local Energy Transitions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Caroline L. Noblet & Laura A. Lindenfeld & Mark W. Anderson, 2013. "Environmental Worldviews: A Point of Common Contact, or Barrier?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(11), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Alison Shaw & Patti Kristjanson, 2014. "A Catalyst toward Sustainability? Exploring Social Learning and Social Differentiation Approaches with the Agricultural Poor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(5), pages 1-33, May.
    6. Thornton, PK & Schuetz, T & Förch, W & Cramer, L & Abreu, D & Vermeulen, S & Campbell, BM, 2017. "Responding to global change: A theory of change approach to making agricultural research for development outcome-based," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 145-153.
    7. Meine van Noordwijk & Robin Matthews & Fahmuddin Agus & Jenny Farmer & Louis Verchot & Kristell Hergoualc’h & Sebastian Persch & Hesti Tata & Betha Lusiana & Atiek Widayati & Sonya Dewi, 2014. "Mud, muddle and models in the knowledge value-chain to action on tropical peatland conservation," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 887-905, August.
    8. Daniel A. DeCaro & Marco A. Janssen & Allen Lee, 2015. "Synergistic effects of voting and enforcement on internalized motivation to cooperate in a resource dilemma," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 10(6), pages 511-537, November.
    9. Rossing, Walter A.H. & Albicette, Maria Marta & Aguerre, Veronica & Leoni, Carolina & Ruggia, Andrea & Dogliotti, Santiago, 2021. "Crafting actionable knowledge on ecological intensification: Lessons from co-innovation approaches in Uruguay and Europe," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    10. Nicholas A. Kirk & Nicholas A. Cradock-Henry, 2022. "Land Management Change as Adaptation to Climate and Other Stressors: A Systematic Review of Decision Contexts Using Values-Rules-Knowledge," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-23, May.
    11. Hart, David D. & Bell, Kathleen P., 2013. "Sustainability Science: A Call to Collaborative Action," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 42(1), pages 1-15, April.
    12. Kelli L. Larson & Dave D. White & Patricia Gober & Amber Wutich, 2015. "Decision-Making under Uncertainty for Water Sustainability and Urban Climate Change Adaptation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-24, November.
    13. Pant, Laxmi Prasad, 2016. "Paradox of mainstreaming agroecology for regional and rural food security in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 305-316.
    14. Erin Lebow-Skelley & Sarah Yelton & Brandi Janssen & Esther Erdei & Melanie A. Pearson, 2020. "Identifying Issues and Priorities in Reporting Back Environmental Health Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-19, September.
    15. 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.
    16. Julia Schmale & Erika Von Schneidemesser & Axel Dörrie, 2015. "An Integrated Assessment Method for Sustainable Transport System Planning in a Middle Sized German City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-26, January.
    17. Lance W. Saunders & Wendy L. Tate & George A. Zsidisin & Joe Miemczyk, 2019. "The Influence of Network Exchange Brokers on Sustainable Initiatives in Organizational Networks," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 849-868, February.
    18. Hollie Smith & Christine Gilbert, 2018. "Communication Barriers and Lessons Learned in Energy Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-9, February.
    19. Li, Ruishi & Zhao, Rongqin & Xie, Zhixiang & Xiao, Liangang & Chuai, Xiaowei & Feng, Mengyu & Zhang, Huifang & Luo, Huili, 2022. "Water–energy–carbon nexus at campus scale: Case of North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    20. Kovács, Eszter & Mile, Orsolya & Fabók, Veronika & Margóczi, Katalin & Kalóczkai, Ágnes & Kasza, Veronika & Nagyné Grecs, Anita & Bankovics, András & Mihók, Barbara, 2021. "Fostering adaptive co-management with stakeholder participation in the surroundings of soda pans in Kiskunság, Hungary – An assessment," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:9:p:3744-3770:d:28547. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.