University-Industry Collaborative Projects: Analysis and Proposal of Management Practices

This study aims to identify good managerial practices on university-industry collaborative projects. The literature review was based on studies that analyzed management of collaborative projects and included authors such as Davenport et al. (1998), Moro-Valentin et al (2003), Barnes et al (2006), and Albertin and Amaral (2010). An empirical research was carried out by studying multiple cases of University-Industry collaborative projects in Brazil. Project managers, entrepreneurs and researchers involved in such projects answered a semi-structured interview that helped understand how they are managed. Results showed that best practices already suggested by literature are implemented, as well as new practices that are positively associated with project performance. Setting clear and realistic goals, defining clear responsibilities, writing clear agreements, and communicating effectively were practices found in literature. New practices consisted of maintaining close contact with partners, systematically recording information on the project, conducting startup meetings to formalize and disseminate information about the project, holding periodical meetings to monitor the project, using software or a project management platform, and clearly defining processes. A guide presenting ten best practices for managing University-Industry collaborative projects was created based on the results found in this study.