University-Corporate Ties and the Construction of Research Agendas

Abstract

The growing commercialisation of university science has often led to claims that research is being distorted by corporate influence. This paper develops a methodology for exploring the construction of research agendas associated with university-corporate ties. It examines in detail a form of collaboration that is increasingly common, the long-term research alliance funded by single companies. The study relates agenda construction to the organisational setting in which it occurs and argues that the latter needs to be given more attention in the sociological analysis of contemporary science.