Towards a Model of Cooperative between Defense Industries and Knowledge-Based Organizations based on Strengthening the Civil-Military Integration

The purpose of this research is to present a model of cooperation between defense industries and knowledge-based organizations based on strengthening the civil-military integration. To achieve this purpose, the paper utilizes qualitative methods based on the Grounded theory strategy. The data was collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The target population was comprised of a group of executives in defense industries and knowledge-based organizations. The sampling methodology was based on the snowball strategy and theoretical saturation was obtained after 12 interviews. Analysis of the data gathered from interviews involved three stages of open, core and selective coding.The results obtained show that civil-military integration (the core code) is influenced by causal factors including: attitudinal factors in the process of cooperation with defense industries; cognitive factors involved in the process; resource dependencies and corporate cooperation; the compatibility between defense sector companies and knowledge-based organizations in terms of agility, the design of technology roadmaps, desire for creating synergies and capacity utilization; factors involved in the process of obtaining security approvals; factors related to the characteristics of knowledge-based industries; factors underlining the development of a sustainable market; factors related to the development and improvement of technology. On the other hand,  the strategies include: communication strategies for strengthening the cooperation with defense industries; strategies related to project management; strategies for support and facilitation; mastering technologies for managing change; strengthening and modifying the role of intermediary institutions; development of a technology atlas; designing a model of knowledge management; strategies related to maintaining the security of information; long-term cooperation strategies; developing the knowledge-based technology ecosystem of the defense sector; developing a defense value chain at the national level; developing the network architecture of knowledge-based companies; establishment of cooperation contracts with regards to intellectual property. Contextual factors include: the size of the knowledge-based companies; structural factors; excessive interference in the internal rules of companies; characteristics of special cooperation contracts with regards to defense products; factors related to human resources. And lastly, moderating factors include: issues related to changes in management; factors related to policymaking in the defense sector; economic factors; political factors in the defense industry; factors related to defense technology. Consequences are realized at four levels of: common consequences between the defense industries and knowledge based; national level consequences, consequences in terms of defense, consequences for the knowledge base network.