Institutional conditions for the implementation of knowledge transfer
As the BUA would like to promote knowledge transfer in the Berlin research area, the question arises as to where exactly funding can be effectively applied. In the BSS, we asked to what extent there is currently a need for support from the institutions in the area of knowledge transfer.
The expressed need for support must be considered in the context of other assessments, such as the previously examined transfer potential on the one hand and how the Berlin research area is already positioned in terms of knowledge transfer on the other. We also asked the researchers for their opinions on this.
Assessment of the Berlin research area with regard to knowledge transfer
In order to evaluate the framework conditions in the Berlin research area, the researchers were asked to assess the Berlin research area with regard to various aspects (Lüdtke and Ambrasat 2022a). Compared to the other topics, a relatively large number of respondents (18.6%) stated that they were unable to assess the topic of knowledge transfer for the Berlin Research Area (not shown). These are predominantly pre-docs, i.e. tend to be less experienced researchers who are not (yet) able to assess the Berlin research area so well. Of all those who provided an assessment, 55% rate the Berlin research area as "rather well" positioned in terms of knowledge transfer and 11.4% even as "very well" positioned. On the other hand, a third of respondents were critical of the Berlin Research Area in terms of knowledge transfer and rated it as "rather poor" or even "very poor" (see Figure 33).
Figure 33 Assessment of the Berlin research area
Need for support from the facilities
The literature on so-called heterogeneous collaborations shows that tensions can arise when actors with different knowledge and experience backgrounds and possibly different interests enter into an exchange (Gläser et al. 2004). If possible, such tensions should not become a burden for the individual scientists, let alone make transdisciplinary cooperation or knowledge transfer activities impossible.
The question of the need for support in knowledge transfer activities serves to obtain indications as to whether and where science management should intervene. It should be noted that a quantitative survey study can only provide initial indications, while supplementary qualitative studies or concrete exchanges with individual research groups can only provide information on where and how specific support and funding should be provided.
A remarkable 46% of all respondents would like more support from their institution when it comes to knowledge transfer (not shown). Younger researchers are significantly more likely to express a need for support in knowledge transfer than more established researchers. Broken down by status group, 37% of professors, 45% of postdocs and 50% of predocs indicated a need for support (see Figure 34). It seems plausible to assume that less experienced researchers have a correspondingly higher need for support. On the other hand, it could also be that the younger ones report a greater need for support because they find the topic more important (see Fig. 4 above) and want to make progress on it. We examine the effects below (Figure 36) in a multivariate model.
Figure 34 Need for support with knowledge transfer activities, by status group
A comparison of the subject groups shows hardly any significant differences (see Figure 35). Only in the natural sciences is there a slightly lower need for support (41%) than in the other subject groups, where the proportions are between 46% (life sciences) and 49% (social sciences).
Figure 35 Need for support in knowledge transfer activities, by subject group
Overall, the stated need for support is surprisingly high considering the already existing exchange and could also indicate that the researchers feel pressured when it comes to transfer and would like to pass responsibility back to the institutions. Another explanation could be that although the scientists are generally positive about knowledge transfer, they perceive some hurdles in practice that they feel are a burden. In the multivariate model, we also looked at the factors influencing the need for support. In fact, it is not a high level of expectation pressure, but rather their own normative objectives that make the topic of knowledge transfer urgent and thus create a need for support (see Figure 36). This means that it is primarily those who consider knowledge transfer to be an important goal in science who also claim a need for support from their institutions. Furthermore, the bivariate finding shows that early career researchers have a greater need for support.
Figure 36 Factors influencing the need for support in knowledge transfer activities