Can research centers make a difference?

People often suggest that despite the proliferation of research in universities, the exchange of knowledge from academic research to practical application is poor. The argument made is that academic research seldom influences the real world of practice, and that for knowledge transfer to assist industry, a paradigm shift is required. In a new book chapter on knowledge transfer, published by Emerald, the SmartState team here in the College of Hospitality, Retail & Sport Management, have taken a look at the challenges of knowledge transfer in the tourism field. In particular, the team have focused on the achievements of their research center, where private and public sectors have joined together in an effort to support applied and commercially relevant research. The goal? To improve the competitiveness of South Carolina as a tourism destination. The full book chapter can be found at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/S2042-144320170000008003