Science-driven or engagement-driven? Shaping commercialisation pathways in public research organisations

Abstract

This paper analyses how scientists’ commercialisation pathways differ depending on how researchers balance two distinct orientations towards advancing science: an orientation to expand the pool of scholarly work (science-driven orientation) and an orientation to achieve practical responses to societal needs that draws on extensive interaction with research beneficiaries (engagement-driven orientation). We distinguish three types of scientists (upstream, engaged, and bridging) according to how they balance science-driven and engagement-driven orientations, and analyse how scientists differ in their involvement in research commercialisation and in the specific pathways they pursue (spin-offs formation vs technology licensing). Drawing on the case of the largest Spanish public research organisation, we find that upstream scientists are less involved in commercialisation; whereas engaged and bridging scientists are active commercialisation agents: the former primarily pursuing licensing and the latter creating spin-offs. Implications for policy and practice call for recognising alternative scientific profiles and the co-occurrence of different routes to science commercialisation.