Collaborative Structure and the Diffusion of Knowledge: Computer-Mediated Communication in Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project suggests that research collaborations, as a result of Computer -mediated communication (CMC), may operate more smoothly, may diffuse more quickly, and may have a greater impact on the field and industry. The project argues that those research collaborations that are both diverse and aided by CMC have the greatest impact. This project examines the range of technologies utilized in collaborations of faculty members and industry partners in Industry/University-Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC). The resources of the I/UCRCs may offer CMC beyond the email or instant messaging capabilities more typically available for faculty collaborations. Video conferencing, for example, may be a richer medium to sustain collaborations. Thus the project has multiple goals: to demonstrate how computer-mediated communication aids research and industry collaborations; to demonstrate how diverse, multi-university research collaborations improve the quality and diffusion of knowledge to both academic and industry audiences; to examine the interaction between computer-mediated communication and diverse research collaborations, where diverse, multi university collaborations should benefit more from CMC and diffuse more broadly.