Research initiatives and values of an academic-corporate hybrid organization: a UTM SPACE case study

Abstract

Drawing on research in UTMSPACE, an academic-corporate hybrid organization, an introduction is given to the Research Management Unit which was established since year 2018, to designate a prominent feature of the research agenda. Statements are made on how involving both academic and professional services staff in research can contribute to overall improved business performances. The focus is on bridging the gulf between scientifically and methodologically rigorous approaches of academic research with practicability and relevance needs by business organizations and practitioners. In UTMSPACE, its professional services staff are indeed practitioners who handle day-to-day service functions of the organization. Likewise, the academic staff are front liners who create inviting experiences and a conducive environment to learners. Through effective communication and strategic collaboration, research jointly done by these two categories of organizational members are anticipated for generating valuable information, providing practical solutions, in conjunction with uplifting performances of the organization. To achieve benefits of implementing research, the paper discusses challenges to conduct research in the organization, which are established on experience-base knowledge associated with different categories of organizational members. Next, despite the challenges mentioned, initiatives done by the Research Management Unit are listed, with emphasis on purpose of the ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ funding approaches. Management of research is segregated into four (4) broad areas, i.e., research services (RS), impacts and ethics (IE), project management (PM), and financial management (FM). Most important, research implementation in an academic-corporate hybrid organization benefits in terms of enhancing decision-making and quality, developing Industrial Revolution 4.0 readiness skills, nurturing an information-exchange culture, creating awesome student experiences, and escalating career competencies. Finally, way forward for continuing efforts to research implementation are outlined.