Knowledge driven capitalization of knowledge

The purpose of this paper is to show that one of the important determinants of the new forms of the capitalization of knowledge is its epistemological structure and cognitive processing. The thesis of this paper is that the complexity of the declarative part of knowledge and the three tacit dimensions of knowledge – competence, background, and cognitive rules (Pozzali and Viale, 2007) – have a great impact on research behaviors and, consequently, on the ways of capitalizing knowledge. This behavioral impact drives academy-industry relations towards greater face-to-face interactions and has led to the development of a new academic role, that of the Janus scientist. The need for stronger and more extensive face-to-face interaction is manifested through the phenomenon of the close proximity between universities and companies and through the creation of hybrid organizations of research and development (R&D). The emergence of the new academic role of Janus scientist, one who is able to interface both with the academic and industrial dimensions of research, reveals itself through the introduction of new institutional rules and incentives quite different from traditional academic ones.