Project Leonardo da Vinci
Design of a model for joint university-enterprise innovation
U-SME Innovation
MAP OF THE UNIVERSITY POTENTIAL TO COOPERATION ONSME INNOVATION PROJECTS
June 2001
Authors:
Ing. Jiří Vacek (editor), Ing. Emil Vacík, doc. Ing. Jiří Skalický Csc., Ing Yvona Šlechtová - Katedra inovací a projektů, FEK ZČU
The project has been completed with the support of the Leonardo da Vinci programme. The contents do not necessarily reflect the Commission's own position.
table of contents
INTRODUCTION......
HYPOTHESIS......
QUESTIONARE: MAP OF THE UNIVERSITY POTENTIAL TO COOPERATION ONSME INNOVATION PROJECTS
ASTRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SME INNOVATION PROJECTS......
B SME’s DEMAND FOR THE UNIVERSITY INNOVATION PROJECTS......
C THE UNIVERSITY’S COMPETITIVENESS IN THE SHERE OF THE SME INNOVATION PROJECTS
DUNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT SUPPORTING THE COOPERATION ON THE SME’S INNOVATION PROJECTS
University - innovation potential1/18
INTRODUCTION
This guide contains the questionnaire mapping the potential of the university to cooperation on the SMEs innovation projects. With appropriate modifications it can be used for research institutes, As we suppose that the university is sufficiently qualified to interpret the results properly, this guide does not contain the manual for the questionnaire evaluation, as does the similar guide for SMEs.
We recommended the following procedure: the questionnaire should be answered individually by several members of the university management who then confront their points of view and try to reach consensus representative for the university as a whole. If this process seems to be difficult, it can be recommended to invite the consultant, who can act as a facilitator assisting in looking for the consensus.
On the basis of the interpretation of answers then the management, with possible assistance of the consultant, develops the action plan. The questions and the answers can be used as a guideline for action plan formulation. Generally it can be recommended that the university should concentrate on implementation of such measures that will improve its position in the following evaluation.
If the university is evaluated in several areas as not sufficiently prepared to the cooperation on the SMEs innovation projects and if it intends to improve its position, it has to make fundamental changes at the level of the university strategic plan before implementation of the system of work with innovations.
If the university potential is evaluated at least as average, it can enter the next stage - implementation or improvement of the system of work with SMEs. It can use the procedures described in the another guide of this series - "Seeking and using innovation opportunities". Chapter 12, describing cooperation of universities with SMEs, contains the short questionnaire for the assessment of individual departments and some ideas how to improve the cooperation.
The guide was developed with the support of Leonardo da Vinci programme and was consulted with all project partners. The authors would like to thank to all who provided the valuable feedback that helped in preparation of the final version of this guide.
We wish you much success with the work with this guide. We would be glad if you inform us about your experience with its use and if you share with us your ideas on its further improvement.
Plzeň, June 2001
HYPOTHESIS
A university is well prepared and able to cooperate on innovation projects of small- and middle-size companies (SME) if it meets the individual indicators in the following areas on a maximum level:
A)Role and importance of innovation projects in the university’s mission and strategic plan
B)SME’s demand for the university’s innovation projects
C)University’s competitiveness in the field of SME innovation projects
D)University environment supporting the cooperation on the SME’s innovation projects
Classification of the existing university’s standards:
Doesn’t meet the requirements at all / Meets the requirements partially / Meets the requirements on an average level / Meets the requirements very wellFormulation of answers:
There are 4 answer alternatives defined for every particular problem, corresponding to the above-given criteria. The answers are formulated in such a manner that they describe existing situation at the university – just state it, do not imply evaluation of the existing situation.
Example:
- Role and importance of innovation projects in the university’s mission and strategic plan
a)Great attention is not paid to the SME innovation projects in the mission and strategic plan
b)The importance of the SME innovation projects is defined in the mission and strategic plan, but it is not worked out into specific action plans
c)Action plans are prepared for the SME innovation project but these activities do not represent an important part of the university’s activities
d)SME innovation plans are deemed to be an important part of the university’s departments’ activities
QUESTIONARE: MAP OF THE UNIVERSITY POTENTIAL TO COOPERATION ONSME INNOVATION PROJECTS
Dear Madams, Sirs,
This questionnaire includes several groups of issues related to the university’s readiness and ability to cooperate on the SME’s innovation projects. By filling-out the questionnaire thoroughly, you will obtain an overview of the strong and weak points in your institution and what deserves your attention.
There are always four alternative answers offered for individual groups of issues. After evaluating them, please tick off the answer characterizing the situation in your institution in the most precise manner. If you find it necessary to provide supplementary information, use the free lines.
ASTRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SME INNOVATION PROJECTS
1. Role and importance of innovation projects in the university’s mission and strategic plan
a)Much attention is not paid to the SME innovation projects in the mission and strategic plan
b)The importance of the SME innovation projects is defined in the mission and strategic plan, but it is not worked out into specific action plans
c)Action plans are prepared for the SME innovation project but these activities do not represent an important part of the university’s activities
d)SME innovation projects are deemed to be an important part of the university’s departments’ activities
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- Support provided by the university to the SME innovation projects and transfer of the R&D results
a)SME innovation projects are the initiatives of individual departments that do not receive either administrative or financial support from the university resources.
b)The university provides administrative support to those departments that obtain orders, grants, etc., on their own.
c)There is a liaison office at the university searching actively for the possibilities of participation in the SME innovation projects (CR and abroad) and provides the departments with information and administrative support.
d)The same as c), moreover this office provides or can mediate a comprehensive service for the SME innovation projects including the economic and legal consulting and consulting in the sphere of intellectual property (patents, copyright rights…) in the course of the R&D results transfer.
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- Financial advantages of the SME innovation projects
a)The income from SME innovation projects does not represent an important item in the university’s budget and we do not consider it purposeful to draw a long-term and systematic strategy of increasing this income and its distribution.
b)So far the income from SME innovation projects does not represent an important item in the university’s budget but we consider it necessary to draw a long-term and systematic strategy of increasing this income.
c)The income from SME innovation projects represents a considerable item in the university’s budget. The university has a long-term and systematic strategy for increasing this income. Prevailing part of the income from the SME innovation projects is redistributed to the departments in the ratio corresponding to their participation. The rest is used to cover the overhead costs of supporting activities.
d)The same as c), moreover the university creates a fund that, based on projects tenders, provides support to selected SME innovation projects.
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- Offer of university services for SME
a)The services for SMEs are not offered on systematic basis, individual departments offer their services individually, based on their personal contacts.
b)Based on the offers from individual departments, the university prepares offer of its services for SME (R&D, consulting and information services, experimental equipment, training…). This offer is published as a booklet and is updated at least once a year.
c)The university services are offered on the Internet; the offer is updated on running basis. The offer is prepared not only in Czech but also in foreign languages.
d)The university carries out a demand research and actively looks for the possibilities of extension of its offer according to the market demands. Not only it provides information about its services passively but actively promotes them and offers them by means of various media.
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- Influence of the requirements to the SME innovation projects on theuniversity graduates profiles
a)The influence is minimum; we cannot modify the curriculum as fast as the requirements change. The graduates’ profiles do not tuned to the labor market requirements, they are conservative and they are based on the offers of individual departments.
b)The university supports the participation of its students, including post-graduates, in solving of specific SME innovation project and its offer includes courses focused on acquiring of necessary skills.
c)The university follows the SME’s requirements to the graduates and according to the demand asks the departments to modify their profiles or design new ones. The traditional profiles are supplemented and extended, e.g. by means of certificate courses.
d)The same as c), moreover the university monitors the success of its graduates on the labor market (labor offices, chambers of commerce, entrepreneurs’ association and clubs) and keeps contacts with its graduates, e.g. by means of graduate clubs. The information obtained is used as a feedback for the modification of profiles and curricula.
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- Monitoring of the participation of university employees in SME innovation projects and evaluation of projects results, usage of acquired information.
a)The university neither separately monitors participation in such projects nor evaluates their results.
b)Employees’ participation in such projects represents a part of their individual development plans and reflects upon their financial and academic evaluation. The university has a motivation system for the participation in such projects.
c)The projects results (both tangible and financial, and intangible - publications, intellectual property etc.) are monitored in a systematic and outline manner and they are used in the evaluation of departments and individuals.
d)The same as c), moreover the result records are used for cost analyses and forecasting.
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7. University’s participation in the regional entrepreneurial structures
a)The contacts are non-systematic, rather based on individual’s initiatives.
b)The university attempts to participate in these structures, so far unsuccessfully.
c)The university has its representatives in the regional entrepreneurial structures, but so far not too effective. The university employees are not informed where, how and by whom the university is represented and how this representation can be useful to them.
d)The university has its effective representation in the regional entrepreneurial structures. The university employees are informed where, how and by whom the university is represented and how they can use this representation. The university management outlines the activity strategy for its representatives and monitors and evaluates it on regular basis.
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8.Place of the SME innovation projects in the university’s public image
a)The public views the university as an educational institution. Its participation in the SME innovation projects would not improve its public image.
b)The participation in the SME innovation projects would probably contribute to the improvement of its public image, but so far the university has not prepared its public relations strategy in this field.
c)The participation in the SME innovation projects would definitely contribute to the improvement of its public image, but the public relations strategy applied in this field has not been very effective so far.
d)The public relations strategy in this field is effective. The participation in the SME innovation projects considerably contributes to the improvement of its public image.
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B SME’s DEMAND FOR THE UNIVERSITY INNOVATION PROJECTS
1.Knowledge of the current SME’s requirements in the sphere of innovation projects
a)The university follows the general situation in the area of innovations, but the SME’s requirements do not represent a priority for it and therefore they are not separately monitored.
b)The university knows the companies’ requirements; but it does not have capacity to deal with them and extension of cooperation with SMEs is not envisaged in the near future (up to 3 years).
c)The university plans to deal with the companies’ requirements in the foreseeable future (within 3 years).
d)The university incorporates the current companies’ requirements into its strategic plans.
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- Consulting activities for companies
a)The university does not perform coordinated consulting activity for companies.
b)The university holds specialized seminars for the general public, in case of interest and possibilities also provides consulting.
c)The university tries to satisfy the companies’ demand for consulting services.
d)The university actively searches for the opportunities to provide consulting activities for businesses; these activities are also promoted in the media.
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- Sharing of know-how and technologies
a)The university is not ready to share its know-how and technologies for application in the entrepreneurial sphere.
b)The university can provide its know-how and technologies for the needs of businesses, if they are interested in it.
c)The know-how and technology sharing takes place at the individual university departments. The university as a whole does not coordinate these activities.
d)The university coordinates the extension of its service in providing of know-how and technologies to businesses.
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- Flexibility and speed of the reaction to the companies’ requirements
a)The clients have to respect the university’s time possibilities in the order processing and must reconcile with larger reaction time.
b)Within its possibilities the university tries offer the shortest possible times for completion of the external orders.
c)Delivery date is a part of the performance contract with the client and therefore is negotiated with the client.
d)The university creates environment for the negotiation of competitive delivery dates in the course of processing of external orders.
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- Marketing activities of the university
a)Active marketing at business markets is not part of the university’s activities and therefore it is not carried out.
b)The individual university departments evaluate the impulses from the market environment for the purpose of improvement of its external activities.
c)The market research for the university as a whole is performed by an external company or by own specialized office.
d)The university actively and systematically aims to use marketing instruments for the improvements of its future position in the market environment.
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- Price of the university services
a)The price for the performed services is set according to the university’s calculation regulations regardless of the price comparison with competitive services.
b)The price for performed services is contractual. The university respects the set hourly rates. Other items are open for negotiation.
c)The university monitors the competitors’ price limits and chooses only such deals where it can compete.
d)The university shows an active effort in setting competitive prices of all its services for its clients.
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- Promotion of services for SME provided by the university
a)The university does not promote its services for SME.
b)The promotion of services provided by the university is based on its employees’ personal contacts.
c)The promotion of the university services is performed through regular media instruments.
d)The university has employees who are in charge of the university services promotion; they are also responsible for the evaluation of the performed promotion effectiveness and eventual improvement suggestions.
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- Monitoring of the quality of provided services
a)The university has no facilities for the monitoring of the quality of provided services.
b)The quality of provided services is discussed only in case of claims from the client’s side.
c)The university systematically monitors the quality of provided services and the acquired knowledge is transferred back to the department providing the service.
d)The university systematically monitors the quality of provided services and compares it with the competitors’ quality. The conclusions are used for the quality innovations of the provided services.
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C THE UNIVERSITY’S COMPETITIVENESS IN THE SHERE OF THE SME INNOVATION PROJECTS
1)The requirements of small- and medium-size companies in the field of innovations are usually better and faster than by our university met by consulting companies, company schools, alternative education institutions or research institutes
a)Yes, these organizations are better equipped for this activity, it is not appropriate for the university
b)The university can be more suitable for some of the SMEs, however up to now it has failed to use this possibility.
c)The university cooperates on the SMEs innovation projects with above mentioned organizations.
d)The university should make a better use of its potential in this field and become a demanded partner both directly to SMEs and to other service providers.
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2)Other universities in the Czech Republic usually meet the requirements of of small- and medium-size companies in the field of innovations better and faster than our university.
a)Some universities handle this demanding task better. Which ones?
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b)Our university can be compared to other universities. Which ones?
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c)Our university is in this field better than other universities. Which ones?