University-industry collaboration: careers and knowledge governance in hybrid organisational space

In many high-technology fields, large firms have become increasingly keen to engage with the open knowledge networks of university scientists in order to keep at the cutting edge of scientific development. This paper examines how close collaborative relationships between firms and universities have succeeded by constructing network career models between the two sets of organisations. It focuses on a growing category of research scientists referred to as 'linked scientists'. These people engage in the practices of both science and business, and develop knowledge networks and career patterns that straddle the two sectors. The analysis highlights the emergence of a hybrid organisational space structured around the linked mobility of people. The notion of an 'overlapping internal labour market' gives insight into our understanding of the interdependent relationship between flexible projects and more enduring career arrangements that support knowledge governance across organisational boundaries.