Commercialization of academic research: assessing the perception of academicians at a public university in Malaysia
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
ISSN: 2050-7003
Article publication date: 29 December 2020
Issue publication date: 27 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the perception and attitudes of academicians regarding factors that influence the commercialization of university research.
Design/methodology/approach
The data sample was drawn using a proportionate stratified sampling approach. A self-administered survey was used to obtain data regarding the perception of academicians on the factors that contribute to research commercialization. A total of 131 academicians completed the survey. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results showed that two factors are significant and positively related with commercialization: the academician's behaviour and University-Industry collaboration. Surprisingly, the factors of innovativeness and Intellectual Property management did not have a significant relationship with commercialization.
Research limitations/implications
For future work, researchers should conduct in-depth interviews with the executive management at research universities and at the Ministry of Education Malaysia to complement our quantitative survey. These decision-makers act as funding sources for commercialization and can provide richer evidence regarding important factors affecting commercialization. They can also provide insight on the issues that prevent the commercialization of research from becoming a reality.
Originality/value
Commercialization of Malaysia's university research findings is a critical agenda item in the National Higher Education Strategic Plan. However, in Malaysia, the rate of commercialization of academic research is still unsatisfactory. This study provides important insights regarding intentions behind commercialization by depicting how factors of academic research (i.e. academician's behaviour, innovativeness, Intellectual Properties management, University-Industry collaboration) influence commercialization.
Keywords
Citation
Suhaimi, N.S., Abdul Halim, M.A.S. and Hashim, H.A. (2022), "Commercialization of academic research: assessing the perception of academicians at a public university in Malaysia", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 59-76. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-04-2020-0071
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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