Presenting a Model of Improving Productivity in Wood Industry: a Commercialization Approach toward University Knowledge

Knowledge transfer between university and industry is an important driver in innovation and economic growth. The purpose of this study was to design a model for improving productivity in wood industry focusing on the commercialization of university knowledge and ideas. This research was developmental-applicative, a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) study with a combined exploratory-sequential design. The target community of the research was experts who were aware of the research topic. In order to conduct in-depth interviews and collect qualitative data, from the targeted snowball technique to the theoretical saturation stage, 17 people were selected as a sample and in order to complete the researcher-made questionnaires in the quantitative section, a sample of five people was suggested. The validity of the qualitative data of the research was confirmed through continuous observation and review by a colleague and the reliability of these data was estimated to be 89% using the two-coder index method. The validity of the quantitative data was found to be 80% by using the Lawshe content validity ratio and their reliability was 86% using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Conducting the thematic analysis method based on the model of Braun and Clark (2006), the effective indicators of improving productivity with a commercialization approach toward university knowledge and ideas were identified and then modeling was done using structural-interpretive analysis (ISM). Based on the results of the research, 114 primary concepts were identified including 20 sub-themes and 13 main themes. These indicators were at six levels of the structural-interpretive model consisting of the index of strategic plans at the sixth level, the structure and support management at the fifth level, the development of interaction at the fourth level, the improvement of the educational system, the development of infrastructure and the personal characteristics at the third level, the indicators of modeling, industrialization, motivation, human resources, and attracting the private sector at the second level, and the marketing index was at the first level. Therefore, managers and policy makers need to understand the nature and relationships among the identified indicators in wood industry and apply the necessary measures in this field in order to improve productivity in industries with a commercializing approach toward university knowledge and ideas.