Culture and knowledge co‐creation in R&D collaboration between MNCs and Chinese universities

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines the role of culture in university–industry R&D collaboration and knowledge interaction in the context of multinational corporations in China. Earlier university–industry studies focus primarily on one‐way technology and knowledge transfer; however, the present study argues that in the studied context more interactive types of knowledge interaction like knowledge co‐creation should be of key concern. The main challenge of the R&D collaboration lies in the understanding of culture in general and Chinese guanxi (interpersonal relationship) in particular in collaborative knowledge creation, in which the dominant type of knowledge involved is most often tacit, future oriented, complex and context‐specific. This is particularly important when dealing simultaneously with multi‐disciplinary applied research where cultural challenges appear prominent. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.