The Impact of the Product Generation Life Cycle on Knowledge Valorization at the Public Private Research Partnership, the Centre for BioSystems Genomics

The present paper aims to address the impact of the product generation life cycle (PGLC) on knowledgevalorization in public private research partnerships (PPRPs). Data were collected from participants in theCentre for BioSystems Genomics (CBSG), a Dutch PPRP program in the plant breeding sector. In total, 15commercial partners participated in the study, 7 with a relatively short PGLC of 5 to 6 years, active in thetomato sector, and 8 potato partners, having a very long PGLC of up to 25 years. The results show a clearrelationship between CBSG’s valorization support activities and the level of knowledge utilization by theparticipants, although the preferred type of support activities differs between the potato and tomatocompanies. Firms with a long PGLC, having a higher complicacy of the R&D process, require more basicresearch support and extra communication tools that help to bridge the gaps caused by the long durationof the development process. Companies with short PGLCs, being challenged to keep development timeof new products as short as possible in order not to miss out on market opportunities, value the PPRPmost for the networking possibilities and as provider of the latest technological developments.