Seeking new ways of innovating in industry-research collaboration practice

This chapter sheds light on the dynamics of innovation activity and its prerequisites for industry-research collaboration practice. It focuses on a particular intentional attempt to change the prerequisites of innovations. This new kind of research programme aimed to improve the competitiveness of the Finnish metals and engineering industry through enhancing innovations and industrial renewal. Three theoretical lenses were used in reflecting collaboration practice and learning in the programme. Two examples of changes in collaboration activity were presented and analysed within the broader context of the programme. The findings present how the characteristics of the programme and its management practices seemed to construct favourable conditions for co-innovating. The interpretations were founded on the reflections made by the four persons in charge of leading the programme. The chapter is concluded by summing up the results in terms of insight gained, as well as a general framework that aims to support practical efforts to create better prerequisites and conditions for industry-research collaboration in innovation activity