Applications of fuzzy logic for determining the driving forces in collaborative research contracts

This study examines various factors (human capital, experience, attraction capacity, and profile) of technology centers that, according to the literature, affect the performance of science–industry R&D partnerships. The measure of performance is the income that R&D contracts generate divided by the number of clients that the research center has. The data sample considers technology centers operating in the region of Catalonia that act under the TECNIO umbrella brand. The analysis uses fsQCA methodology, which allows identifying a combination of causes that lead to the outcome. Results support the argument that different causal paths explain profitable R&D contracts.