Between facilitative and hindering roles: situational conditions triggering boundary spanners’ dynamics in knowledge transfer within university–industry collaborations

Wen, B, Zhao, G, Tucker, M ORCID: 0000-0003-0363-5573, Wang, F and Finniear, J (2026) Between facilitative and hindering roles: situational conditions triggering boundary spanners’ dynamics in knowledge transfer within university–industry collaborations. Journal of Technology Transfer. pp. 1-43. ISSN 0892-9912

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Abstract

Boundary spanners play a critical role in facilitating knowledge transfer in university–industry collaborations (UIC). However, their intermediary roles are not static and may shift in response to changing project conditions. While prior research has examined facilitative and hindering boundary-spanning roles separately, limited attention has been paid to the dynamic between them, particularly in management-discipline UICs. This study examines a dynamic boundary spanner, Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) associates within UK management-oriented KTP (mKTP) projects, employing qualitative interviews with thirty participants from four stakeholder groups. The findings reveal that unsupportive situational conditions, including insufficient supervisory support and engagement, competing expectations and power asymmetries, and inappropriate treatment by business partners, can shape associates’ perceptions toward self-interest, leading to their shifts from facilitative to hindering roles. Conversely, supportive conditions, such as knowledge and pastoral support and business’s support in their embeddedness and empowerment, encourage a perception of confident and legitimate conduits. This drives their role movements from hindering to facilitative conduits. The study also identifies three novel hindering boundary-spanning roles: project stewards, disempowered conduits and unembedded newcomers. By developing an integrated framework, this paper advances understanding of the dynamic and context-dependent nature of boundary spanners in knowledge transfer within UICs and extends boundary-spanning research beyond its traditional STEM focus.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	35 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services; 3507 Strategy, Management and Organisational Behaviour; 17 Partnerships for the Goals; 1503 Business and Management; Science Studies; 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Divisions:	Liverpool Business School
Publisher:	Springer Science
Date of acceptance:	17 August 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	8 October 2026
Date Deposited:	07 Oct 2026 14:19
Last Modified:	08 Oct 2026 00:50
DOI or ID number:	10.1007/s10961-026-10377-0
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29613

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