Management system for multidisciplinary university research institutes

This paper focuses on multidisciplinary university research institutes and the management challenges that arise in developing and sustaining such institutes. The role of academic institutes is important, they bring together faculty to work on a specific scientific area, which can address a societal or commercial requirement. There are, however, certain issues with this approach, such as the need for effective research co-ordination; the importance of adequate governance mechanisms for managing across disciplines; and in the case of industry supported institutes the need to ensure academic outputs are properly aligned to industrial needs. In this context and through building on the literature on multidisciplinary institutes, a conceptual model has been generated for the development and management of institutes. This institute management system includes a process based on four main stages (design, initiate, deliver and sustain) as well as a set of governance themes. The management system has been applied to the Institute of Shock Physics at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom as part of a case study investigation. Subsequent analysis of the case study findings highlighted how the institute management system provides a broad-based and rigorous methodology to help establish new institutes and then ensure sustainable operations are achieved thereafter. Interpretation of the case study analysis emphasizes the role of the institute´s leadership and faculty members in boundary spanning across disciplines and different organizations, and how social capital can be an important ingredient to facilitate this process. Moreover, in the case of industrial partners, their associated absorptive capacity is seen as an important enabler for ensuring companies that collaborate with university institutes have the required structures, processes and supporting culture to enable knowledge to be acquired and then deployed to advance companies´ R&D capabilities.