Exploring responsible knowledge exchange

Abstract

Knowledge exchange has been incorporated into the roles of universities and public sector research establishments (PSREs) in the UK alongside research and teaching. Universities and PSREs have spent much time ensuring that research ethics are managed effectively and much has been written about this. However, little research has been done to explore the ethical issues and questions which can arise in knowledge exchange. This thesis seeks to address a gap in the ethics of universities and PSREs by exploring the ethics and values of knowledge exchange.

Previous studies have considered the position of knowledge exchange in universities and PSREs and academic involvement in it. Based on interviews with knowledge exchange practitioners, the thesis illuminates the interaction between knowledge exchange and CSR in universities and PSREs. The research finds links between the roles of universities and PSREs, the practice of CSR and knowledge exchange. The study identifies new ways of understanding the scope of knowledge exchange, and sheds new light on the relationship between knowledge exchange and impact. The thesis offers new understanding about how universities and PSREs apply stakeholder management, and offers insights into how universities and PSREs decide how to engage with external organisations. The thesis sheds light on how CSR is practised in universities and PSREs, and demonstrates how CSR is an implicit part of the mindset of universities and PSREs. The research findings show how knowledge exchange is influencing academic values and how a modified set of these can provide a starting point for defining knowledge exchange ethics and values.

The study shows how managing ethical issues in knowledge exchange is a task that still needs to be addressed. The concept of Responsible Knowledge Exchange can provide a starting point for this by encouraging debate about the responsibilities of knowledge exchange practitioners, and their ethics and values. Raising awareness about the kind of ethical dilemmas which knowledge exchange practitioners can face may prompt universities and PSREs and knowledge exchange professional networks, such as AURIL and PraxisUnico, to develop ways and ideas for handling and managing ethical issues in knowledge exchange. These kinds of approaches could help to foster more awareness of values and ethical boundaries in knowledge exchange, and greater awareness of the issues that can arise.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Mine Karatas-Ozkan: orcid.org/0000-0002-9199-4156

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