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Session 3648

Perspective of Southeast Wisconsin High Tech Industry on Government and University Programs

James Lombardi, Dr. O. G. Petersen Milwaukee School of Engineering

Abstract

Results from a study show less than 10% of Southeast Wisconsin high tech companies felt that federal and state government funds were important for them to form R&D alliances with universities. Furthermore, only 52% of the companies have ever worked with a university and less than 20% actively pursued university alliances. Generally, companies stated the main impediment to forming a university alliance was that they believed such alliances were too time consuming.

Study recommendations are: (1) universities should strive to meet industry’s needs instead of attempting to promote their own expertise; (2) Southeast Wisconsin universities should improve their technical relevance and credibility so that more high tech companies become interested in their offerings; and (3) increase the awareness to all sizes of high tech companies regarding available government R&D funding sources in order for government funds to effectively serve as a catalyst.

The subjects of the study were 57 top executives and 31 managers and engineers from Southeast Wisconsin high tech companies with more than two employees. Standard Industrial Classification codes used by the Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Labor Statistics define the organizational format of the study.

Introduction

Interaction between industry, government, and universities relating to research and development (R&D) has a long history. In their book, Managing the Partnership Between Higher Education and Industry 1, Matthews and Norgaard point out that “the Morrill Act of 1862 provided the basis for partnership between industry, education, and government in various areas of R&D in science and engineering.” The purpose of government funding was to yield useful products in the marketplace. Language in current federal government publications from the Departments of Commerce and Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency still support this traditional intent of government funding.

One area of R&D activities which is in the forefront of concerns to government officials involves the area of high tech products. Greater collaboration between higher education and industry was promoted by the federal government to accelerate innovation and improve high tech competitiveness. In addition, state governments (including Wisconsin) initiated technology

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Lombardi, J., & Petersen, O. G. (1997, June), Perspective Of Southeast Wisconsin High Tech Industry On Government And University Programs Paper presented at 1997 Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 10.18260/1-2--6730