IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v50y2025i1d10.1007_s10961-024-10083-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Collaborative research in healthcare: uncovering the impact of industry collaboration on the service innovativeness of university hospitals

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Huynh

    (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel)

Abstract

In the face of the challenges of rising demand and increasing economic pressure, medical service innovations and university hospitals are becoming increasingly important as cornerstones for the continuous development of medical care. Simultaneously, increasing technological complexity, scarce funding, and resource-intensive technology development are forcing university hospitals to open up their internal innovation processes. Numerous studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of cross-sectoral collaboration on the innovation performance of industrial entities, while neglecting the perspective of academic institutions. The impact of industry collaborations on the service innovativeness of university hospitals in particular has not been addressed in previous research. Although the potential for nonlinear effects of university-industry collaborations has been discussed in research, adequate evidence, particularly in the healthcare context, has not been provided. Therefore, this study addresses the questions: (1) What is the impact of university-hospital-industry collaboration (UHIC) on the service innovativeness of university hospitals? (2) Can a nonlinear relationship between UHIC and university hospitals' service innovativeness be empirically verified? The hypotheses are tested based on an unbalanced panel data set, which combines three distinct data sources and comprises annual observations from 2011 until 2019 of all German university hospitals. The findings indicate that the UHIC intensity has a positive effect on university hospitals’ service innovativeness with a one-year time lag. Furthermore, a negative quadratic UHIC effect was found. In doing so, this study complements existing research and opens the black box by uncovering the downside of cross-sectoral collaboration for a more complete understanding of the underlying dynamics of this growing area of research, with a particular focus on university hospitals.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Huynh, 2025. "Collaborative research in healthcare: uncovering the impact of industry collaboration on the service innovativeness of university hospitals," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 1-28, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:50:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-024-10083-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-024-10083-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-024-10083-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-024-10083-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valentina Tartari & Stefano Breschi, 2012. "Set them free: scientists' evaluations of the benefits and costs of university--industry research collaboration," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 21(5), pages 1117-1147, October.
    2. Nicos Savva & Laurens Debo & Robert A. Shumsky, 2023. "Hospital Reimbursement in the Presence of Cherry Picking and Upcoding," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(11), pages 6777-6799, November.
    3. Banal-Estañol, Albert & Jofre-Bonet, Mireia & Lawson, Cornelia, 2015. "The double-edged sword of industry collaboration: Evidence from engineering academics in the UK," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 1160-1175.
    4. Bruneel, Johan & D'Este, Pablo & Salter, Ammon, 2010. "Investigating the factors that diminish the barriers to university-industry collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 858-868, September.
    5. Roderik Ponds & Frank van Oort & Koen Frenken, 2010. "Innovation, spillovers and university--industry collaboration: an extended knowledge production function approach," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 10(2), pages 231-255, March.
    6. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    7. Sebastian Kobarg & Jutta Stumpf-Wollersheim & Isabell M. Welpe, 2018. "University-industry collaborations and product innovation performance: the moderating effects of absorptive capacity and innovation competencies," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(6), pages 1696-1724, December.
    8. Lin, Jun-You, 2017. "Balancing industry collaboration and academic innovation: The contingent role of collaboration-specific attributes," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 216-228.
    9. Anthony Arundel & Aldo Geuna, 2004. "Proximity and the use of public science by innovative European firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(6), pages 559-580.
    10. Bell, Andrew & Jones, Kelvyn, 2015. "Explaining Fixed Effects: Random Effects Modeling of Time-Series Cross-Sectional and Panel Data," Political Science Research and Methods, Cambridge University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 133-153, January.
    11. D'Este, P. & Patel, P., 2007. "University-industry linkages in the UK: What are the factors underlying the variety of interactions with industry?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 1295-1313, November.
    12. Gretsch, Oliver & Salzmann, Edmund & Kock, Alexander, 2019. "University-Industry Collaboration and Front-end Success: The Moderating Effects of Innovativeness and Parallel Cross-firm Collaboration," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 118967, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    13. Heidrun Sturm & Monika A Rieger & Peter Martus & Esther Ueding & Anke Wagner & Martin Holderried & Jens Maschmann & on behalf of the WorkSafeMed Consortium, 2019. "Do perceived working conditions and patient safety culture correlate with objective workload and patient outcomes: A cross-sectional explorative study from a German university hospital," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, January.
    14. Katz, J. Sylvan & Martin, Ben R., 1997. "What is research collaboration?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 1-18, March.
    15. Barry Bozeman & Daniel Fay & Catherine Slade, 2013. "Research collaboration in universities and academic entrepreneurship: the-state-of-the-art," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 1-67, February.
    16. Hsiao,Cheng, 2022. "Analysis of Panel Data," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781009060752, December.
    17. George, Gerard & Zahra, Shaker A. & Wood, D. Jr., 2002. "The effects of business-university alliances on innovative output and financial performance: a study of publicly traded biotechnology companies," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 577-609, October.
    18. Dedehayir, Ozgur & Mäkinen, Saku J. & Roland Ortt, J., 2018. "Roles during innovation ecosystem genesis: A literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 18-29.
    19. Wilfried Laubach & Sabine Fischbeck, 2007. "Job Satisfaction and the Work Situation of Physicians: a survey at a German University hospital," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 52(1), pages 54-59, February.
    20. Hsiao,Cheng, 2022. "Analysis of Panel Data," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781316512104, December.
    21. Meilin Möllenkamp & Benedetta Pongiglione & Stefan Rabbe & Aleksandra Torbica & Jonas Schreyögg, 2022. "Spillover effects and other determinants of medical device uptake in the presence of a medical guideline: An analysis of drug‐eluting stents in Germany and Italy," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(S1), pages 157-178, September.
    22. van Rijnsoever, Frank J. & Hessels, Laurens K. & Vandeberg, Rens L.J., 2008. "A resource-based view on the interactions of university researchers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 1255-1266, September.
    23. Mueller, Pamela, 2006. "Exploring the knowledge filter: How entrepreneurship and university-industry relationships drive economic growth," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1499-1508, December.
    24. Gulbrandsen, Magnus & Smeby, Jens-Christian, 2005. "Industry funding and university professors' research performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 932-950, August.
    25. Kock, Alexander & Gemünden, Hans Georg & Salomo, Søren & Schultz, Carsten, 2011. "The Mixed Blessings of Technological Innovativeness for the Commercial Success of New Products," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 63285, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    26. T. S. Breusch & A. R. Pagan, 1980. "The Lagrange Multiplier Test and its Applications to Model Specification in Econometrics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(1), pages 239-253.
    27. Frank J. van Rijnsoever & Laurens K. Hessels & Rens L.J. Vandeberg, 2008. "A resource-based view on the interactions of university researchers," Innovation Studies Utrecht (ISU) working paper series 08-14, Utrecht University, Department of Innovation Studies, revised Apr 2008.
    28. Bruno Brandão Fischer & Paola Rücker Schaeffer & Nicholas S. Vonortas & Sérgio Queiroz, 2018. "Quality comes first: university-industry collaboration as a source of academic entrepreneurship in a developing country," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 263-284, April.
    29. Albert Banal-Estañol & Mireia Jofre-Bonet & Cornelia Meissner, 2008. "Theimpact of industry collaboration on research: Evidence from engineering academics in the UK," Economics Working Papers 1190, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Aug 2010.
    30. Alessandro Muscio, 2010. "What drives the university use of technology transfer offices? Evidence from Italy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 181-202, April.
    31. Alessandro Muscio & Andrea Pozzali, 2013. "The effects of cognitive distance in university-industry collaborations: some evidence from Italian universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 486-508, August.
    32. Hua Cheng & Zhiying Zhang & Qing Huang & Zhongju Liao, 2020. "The effect of university–industry collaboration policy on universities’ knowledge innovation and achievements transformation: based on innovation chain," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 522-543, April.
    33. Jeannette Colyvas & Michael Crow & Annetine Gelijns & Roberto Mazzoleni & Richard R. Nelson & Nathan Rosenberg & Bhaven N. Sampat, 2002. "How Do University Inventions Get Into Practice?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(1), pages 61-72, January.
    34. Taran Thune, 2007. "University-industry collaboration: The network embeddedness approach," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 34(3), pages 158-168, April.
    35. Chen, Kaihua & Zhang, Yi & Fu, Xiaolan, 2019. "International research collaboration: An emerging domain of innovation studies?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 149-168.
    36. Wirsich, Alexander & Kock, Alexander & Strumann, Christoph & Schultz, Carsten, 2016. "Effects of University Industry Collaboration on Technological Newness," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 85098, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    37. Alexander S. Preker & April Harding, 2003. "Innovations in Health Service Delivery : The Corporatization of Public Hospitals," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15145, March.
    38. Azagra-Caro, Joaquin M. & Archontakis, Fragiskos & Gutierrez-Gracia, Antonio & Fernandez-de-Lucio, Ignacio, 2006. "Faculty support for the objectives of university-industry relations versus degree of R&D cooperation: The importance of regional absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 37-55, February.
    39. Mingyu Tian & Yiwei Su & Zhong Yang, 2022. "University–industry collaboration and firm innovation: an empirical study of the biopharmaceutical industry," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1488-1505, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Alexandre Dias & Beatriz Selan, 2023. "How does university-industry collaboration relate to research resources and technical-scientific activities? An analysis at the laboratory level," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 392-415, February.
    2. Schultz, Carsten & Gretsch, Oliver & Kock, Alexander, 2024. "The influence of shared R&D-project innovativeness perceptions on university-industry collaboration performance," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 151014, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    3. Jun-You Lin & Chih-Hai Yang, 2020. "Heterogeneity in industry–university R&D collaboration and firm innovative performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Carsten Schultz & Oliver Gretsch & Alexander Kock, 2021. "The influence of shared R&D-project innovativeness perceptions on university-industry collaboration performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 1144-1172, August.
    5. Colin Gallagher & Dean Lusher & Johan Koskinen & Bopha Roden & Peng Wang & Aaron Gosling & Anastasios Polyzos & Martina Stenzel & Sarah Hegarty & Thomas Spurling & Gregory Simpson, 2023. "Network patterns of university-industry collaboration: A case study of the chemical sciences in Australia," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(8), pages 4559-4588, August.
    6. Victoria Galan-Muros & Todd Davey, 2019. "The UBC ecosystem: putting together a comprehensive framework for university-business cooperation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(4), pages 1311-1346, August.
    7. Belitski, Maksim & Aginskaja, Anna & Marozau, Radzivon, 2019. "Commercializing university research in transition economies: Technology transfer offices or direct industrial funding?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 601-615.
    8. Nasirov, Shukhrat & Joshi, Amol M., 2023. "Minding the communications gap: How can universities signal the availability and value of their scientific knowledge to commercial organizations?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(9).
    9. Huegel, Matthias, 2024. "University scientists’ multiple goals achievement: Social capital and its impact on research performance and research commercialization," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    10. Rossi, Federica & De Silva, Muthu & Pavone, Pasquale & Rosli, Ainurul & Yip, Nick K.T., 2024. "Proximity and impact of university-industry collaborations. A topic detection analysis of impact reports," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    11. Igors Skute & Kasia Zalewska-Kurek & Isabella Hatak & Petra Weerd-Nederhof, 2019. "Mapping the field: a bibliometric analysis of the literature on university–industry collaborations," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 916-947, June.
    12. Sew Huey Ting & Sofri Yahya & Cheng Ling Tan, 2020. "Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis of the Researcher’s Competence in the Formation of University-Industry Collaboration Using Smart PLS," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 249-275, June.
    13. Frank J. Rijnsoever & Laurens K. Hessels, 2021. "How academic researchers select collaborative research projects: a choice experiment," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 1917-1948, December.
    14. Glenda Kruss & Mariette Visser, 2017. "Putting university–industry interaction into perspective: a differentiated view from inside South African universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 884-908, August.
    15. Gloria Naranjo-Africano & Jaider Vega-Jurado & Liney Manjarres-Henríquez, 2023. "Barriers to Third Mission: organizational and individual antecedents," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.
    16. Niels Stijn & Frank J. Rijnsoever & Martine Veelen, 2018. "Exploring the motives and practices of university–start-up interaction: evidence from Route 128," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 674-713, June.
    17. Perkmann, Markus & Tartari, Valentina & McKelvey, Maureen & Autio, Erkko & Broström, Anders & D’Este, Pablo & Fini, Riccardo & Geuna, Aldo & Grimaldi, Rosa & Hughes, Alan & Krabel, Stefan & Kitson, Mi, 2013. "Academic engagement and commercialisation: A review of the literature on university–industry relations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 423-442.
    18. Stefan Houweling & Sven Wolff, 2020. "The influence of scientific prestige and peer effects on the intention to create university spin-offs," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(5), pages 1432-1450, October.
    19. Jing Li & Hong Fang & Siran Fang & Sultana Easmin Siddika, 2018. "Investigation of the Relationship among University–Research Institute–Industry Innovations Using a Coupling Coordination Degree Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-18, June.
    20. Berbegal-Mirabent, Jasmina & Sánchez García, José Luís & Ribeiro-Soriano, D. Enrique, 2015. "University–industry partnerships for the provision of R&D services," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1407-1413.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    University hospital; University-industry collaboration; Service innovativeness; Research collaboration; Knowledge transfer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • I19 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Other

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:kap:jtecht:v:50:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-024-10083-9. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.