A Study on the Requirements of Private Sector on Research Investment Ratio and Intellectual Property Ownership for Collaborative Research

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the preferred research investment ratios and intellectual property ownership requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in collaborative research with the College of Arts, Media, and Technology, Chiang Mai University. It also examines the research topics businesses are interested in pursuing collaboratively within Upper Northern Provincial Cluster 1, focusing on Chiang Mai Province. Data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 29 SME owners in Chiang Mai who expressed interest in commercial research and development (R&D) collaboration with the college. The findings reveal that 58.6% of the surveyed SMEs operate as registered companies, 27.6% as community enterprises, and 13.8% are in the process of registering companies. The businesses are primarily engaged in manufacturing (75.9%), followed by services (13.8%) and trading (10.3%). Regarding collaborative research topics, most respondents expressed interest in content and media (44.8%), followed by tools and equipment (24.1%), platform systems (17.2%), new products (10.3%), and multiple topics (3.4%). With its collaborative nature, this research involves the active participation of SMEs, making them an integral part of the process. Concerning funding, 55.2% of the respondents were willing to contribute 25% of the total research costs. Regarding intellectual property (IP) ownership, 79.3% preferred negotiating ownership arrangements post-research, while 17.2% were willing to assign full IP ownership to Chiang Mai University. These findings provide valuable insights into SMEs' investment and IP ownership expectations, which can help inform the design and execution of collaborative research projects between academia and the private sector.

Save as a Favourite

Author Information
Thanaporn Ngamprapasom, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
Manissaward Jintapitak, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

• Category: Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

All Posts