The Triple Helix and User-Driven Centers of Competence: Towards a New Organizational Model?

This chapter presents findings from a comparative study of user-driven competence centers and business-led research networks across a range of countries. More specifically, it explores the extent to which the centers studied pointing to potentially new organizational forms. We analyze the centers and networks drawing on the Triple Helix framework which differentiates knowledge, consensus, and innovation spaces. We find that a small number of more recent centers may have the potential to create innovation environments that integrate activities across the three Triple Helix spaces.