Set them free: scientists' evaluations of the benefits and costs of university-industry research collaboration

Collaborating with industry constitutes discretionary behavior for academics: it is shaped by the institutional environment and individual perceptions of the potential costs and benefits. Drawing on a large-scale survey of Italian university researchers, we find the decision to collaborate with industry is influenced by perceived threats to a researcher's academic freedom. Secrecy concerns do not appear significant, while the desire to acquire additional resources influences the intensity of collaboration. We explore the implications of these findings for university–industry collaboration.