Thesis

Open science: Knowledge as a public good or individual competitive advantage?

"Knowledge is the only resource that multiplies when it is shared" (Marie von Ebner Eschenbach, 19th century).
Research on Open Innovation builds on this premise and, as a new paradigm, the organisation of innovation in the entrepreneurial context, has triggered radical changes. Open Innovation research shows that opening up and sharing knowledge with external partners helps to create new knowledge, generate new and creative ideas and exploit synergies (Bogers, 2011). The transfer of Open Innovation literature to the context of higher education thus, offers the opportunity to radically change and improve cooperation between higher education institutions.
Universities play a central role in the generation and dissemination of knowledge into society and practice. The sharing of knowledge, e.g. through scientific publications, at conferences or in teaching, is an integral part of scientific work and is one of the core tasks of a university. Compared to private sector organisations, the central question is not whether universities are willing to share their knowledge, but how this process can be supported. Although universities have a genuine interest in disseminating knowledge, there may also be disadvantages for the university and the individual: The generation and diffusion of knowledge is one of the core competencies of the university and forms the basis for strategic competitive advantages for most universities. This dilemma will be addressed in the Master's thesis. The aim of the thesis is to investigate possible drivers and barriers in the sharing of knowledge at universities. In addition, it is to be investigated which specific demands scientists make on the sharing of (different) knowledge. Finally, concrete recommendations for action will be derived on how universities can promote knowledge sharing more effectively.

Keywords: Open Science, Open Innovation