Open Access

Philipp Grampp

• This thesis investigates knowledge generation and transfer mechanisms within university-industry collaboration through a single case study of a robotics-focused partnership involv-ing 14 firms, a foundation association, and a university. Applying the knowledge-based dy-namic capabilities framework of Zheng et al. (2011), the study examines how firms acquire, generate, and combine knowledge inThis thesis investigates knowledge generation and transfer mechanisms within university-industry collaboration through a single case study of a robotics-focused partnership involv-ing 14 firms, a foundation association, and a university. Applying the knowledge-based dy-namic capabilities framework of Zheng et al. (2011), the study examines how firms acquire, generate, and combine knowledge in collaborative settings. Through qualitative analysis of six semi-structured interviews and document review, the research identifies specific mani-festations of Knowledge Acquisition Capabilities, Knowledge Generation Capabilities and Knowledge Combination Capabilities in UIC contexts. Findings reveal that knowledge dy-namics in UIC operate as an interconnected process: external impulses are acquired through collaborative research, conversations, and demonstrations - these impulses are then refined internally. Finally, knowledge is embedded in firms through finalization pro-cesses and transferred via observation, co-working, and seminars. The study also maps knowledge flow pathways between UIC participants. This research extends existing KBDC literature by providing concrete mechanisms specific to UIC contexts and demonstrates how theoretical insights translate into practical applications. The findings contribute to both the-oretical understanding of knowledge dynamics in collaborative settings and practical imple-mentation of effective knowledge management strategies in university-industry partner-ships.…