Short answer
Designers and organizations should consider how their products, services, or operations can contribute positively to society and actively seek partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation and impact.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2020)
- Method
- Systematic Literature Review
- Sample
- 134 articles
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Universities actively engaging in their 'Third Mission'—contributing to society beyond teaching and research—demonstrate enhanced potential for innovation and greater societal impact by fostering collaboration with non-academic stakeholders. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Using Systematic literature review with 134 articles, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and organizations should consider how their products, services, or operations can contribute positively to society and actively seek partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation and impact.
University 'Third Mission' adoption increases societal impact and innovation potential
Universities actively engaging in their 'Third Mission'—contributing to society beyond teaching and research—demonstrate enhanced potential for innovation and greater societal impact by fostering collaboration with non-academic stakeholders.
Technological Forecasting and Social Change · 2020
Key Findings
- 01The 'Third Mission' is a complex, evolving phenomenon requiring universities to contribute to society beyond traditional teaching and research.
- 02Engagement with non-academic stakeholders is crucial for the successful enactment of the 'Third Mission'.
- 03There are significant potentials and constraints associated with universities fulfilling their 'Third Mission'.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers and organizations should consider how their products, services, or operations can contribute positively to society and actively seek partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation and impact.
How to apply
When designing a new product or service, consider its potential societal benefits and identify potential non-academic partners (e.g., community groups, NGOs, industry) who could collaborate to enhance its impact and innovation.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design project could have a 'Third Mission' – a benefit to society beyond its primary function.
- 02Think about who your non-academic stakeholders might be and how you could involve them in your design process.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive systematic review methodology.
- +Focus on a multidisciplinary and evolving phenomenon.
Limitations
The study is based on academic literature, so practical, on-the-ground challenges might be underrepresented. The review period might miss very recent innovations in university-society engagement.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review methodology enhances reliability through a structured approach to article selection and analysis. Validity is supported by thematic analysis of a substantial number of peer-reviewed articles, providing a broad overview of the topic.
Think critically
To what extent should universities prioritize their 'Third Mission' over traditional academic roles, and what are the potential trade-offs in terms of research quality or educational outcomes?
Design Principles
"Organizational evolution and stakeholder collaboration can drive innovation and societal contribution."
This highlights how educational institutions can evolve beyond traditional roles to become drivers of innovation and societal progress. For design, it underscores the importance of understanding how organizations, even academic ones, can adapt their strategies and operations to meet broader societal needs and foster innovation.
What This Means for Your Design
Universities can do more than just teach and research; they can help society directly. By working with people outside the university, they can come up with new ideas and make a bigger difference.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the concept of 'Third Mission' to justify the societal relevance and impact of your design solution.
- 2.Incorporate stakeholder engagement strategies into your design process, referencing the importance of non-academic partners.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The concept of a university's 'Third Mission,' focusing on societal contribution beyond teaching and research, highlights the potential for innovation and impact through engagement with non-academic stakeholders. This multidisciplinary approach, as evidenced by Compagnucci and Spigarelli (2020), suggests that organizations can foster greater societal value and drive innovation by actively collaborating with external partners, a principle directly applicable to the development and implementation of design solutions.
Source
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
The Third Mission of the university: A systematic literature review on potentials and constraints
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about university 'third mission' adoption increases societal impact and innovation potential?
- Designers and organizations should consider how their products, services, or operations can contribute positively to society and actively seek partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation and impact. Evidence: Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2020).
- Why does "University 'Third Mission' adoption increases societal impact and innovation potential" matter for design?
- This highlights how educational institutions can evolve beyond traditional roles to become drivers of innovation and societal progress. For IB DT, it underscores the importance of understanding how organizations, even academic ones, can adapt their strategies and operations to meet broader societal needs and foster innovation.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers and organizations should consider how their products, services, or operations can contribute positively to society and actively seek partnerships with diverse stakeholders to enhance innovation and impact.
- What were the main findings?
- The 'Third Mission' is a complex, evolving phenomenon requiring universities to contribute to society beyond traditional teaching and research.. Engagement with non-academic stakeholders is crucial for the successful enactment of the 'Third Mission'.. There are significant potentials and constraints associated with universities fulfilling their 'Third Mission'.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review with 134 articles.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from Technological Forecasting and Social Change.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new product or service, consider its potential societal benefits and identify potential non-academic partners (e.g., community groups, NGOs, industry) who could collaborate to enhance its impact and innovation.
- What are the limitations?
- The review focuses on academic literature and may not capture all real-world implementations or emerging trends beyond the publication date. The definition and scope of the 'Third Mission' can vary significantly.