African Journal of
Business Management

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Bus. Manage.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1993-8233
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJBM
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 4188

Full Length Research Paper

The interaction university-business as a factor of local development: A study of oil and gas sector of Sergipe

Suzana Leitão Russo1*, Felipe Andrade Martins2, José Ricardo Santana3, Iracema Machado de Aragão Gomes4
1Department of Statistics, Federal University of Sergipe - São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil. 2Department of Industrial Engineering, Federal University of Sergipe - São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil. 3Department of Economics, Federal University of Sergipe - São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil. 4Department of Management, Federal University of Sergipe - São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil.  
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 16 April 2013
  •  Published: 07 May 2013

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the degree of interaction between companies and universities from the perspective of research groups at the university and companies in the oil and gas sector. This study examines the process of interaction through the perception of the research groups and companies in the oil and gas sector, in order to verify the benefits generated and the difficulties experienced. Questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The highlight is the collection of information that may contribute to the development of mechanism to aid and intensify the interaction between these agents. The interaction between companies and universities is seen as an important mechanism for leveraging innovation; however, the existence of several barriers related to cost and technology contributes to the low technological performance. This should be a relevant concern, because they exist in universities despite their high scientific potential. There are still mechanisms that help intensify the application of knowledge generated in the development and / or improvement of products and processes. The results show the importance given to innovation and provide avenues for technological interaction through action research, among other stakeholders. The main limitations are related to the sample used in addition to the difficulties related to the application of questionnaires to obtain information necessary for the development of research.

 

Key words: Innovation, universities and company reports, research groups.