Investigating the Social Capital Theory in the University-Private Partnership: A Systematic Review

Literature has recognised ‘university-private partnerships’ as one of the influential contributors to the economic growth towards building the knowledge-based economy. University-private partnerships is still a progressing phenomenon that has been investigated through the lens of different theories, including the social capital theory that comprises structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions. To date, the influence of social capital theory on transferring knowledge has been investigated; but there has been an inconsistency between studies related to the social capital cognitive dimension compared to other related dimensions. This paper aims to explore how the theoretical lens of social capital theory informs research and learnings about partnerships between universities and private sectors. Overall, 23 studies published within the last two decades are systematically reviewed. Findings from this review lead to a fundamental theoretical framework that addresses the abovementioned inconsistency, a reflection on the current related research themes, and a proposition for future research directions