摘要：As universities face increasingly tight operating budgets, their need to justify expenditures on both basic
and applied research is increasing (Oehmke, van Ee, and Ledebuhr 2000; Boyle 1997). At the same
time, businesses face increasingly competitive business environments. For many, innovation is the key
to productivity and survival. Universities and industries are joining forces to meet their respective
needs, forming formal and informal collaborations (Scott et al. 2002).
Analysts and policy-makers are becoming more interested in examining and understanding the
relationships between academic research and economic activity. One area of growing interest is the
measurement of net benefits generated through these relationships. To accurately measure the return
to industry-university collaboration, researchers must consider all associated returns and costs (both
direct and indirect). Benefits that may accrue from collaborative efforts include: (1) new scientific
information, (2) increased educational opportunities for students, (3) new networks and stimulating
interactions, (4) expanded problem-solving capacity, (5) new methodologies and technologies, (6) new
firms and (7) expanded social knowledge (Scott et al. 2002).
