Multiple dimensions of regionally-oriented university involvement : how motivation and opportunity prompt German researchers to engage in different ways

This study is the first approach to integrate a broad concept of regionally-oriented activities with a multi-dimensional perspective on influences on scientists' decisions between those. In doing so, it aims to advance the discussion on the role played by universities within their local communities. The findings highlight the interplay between autonomous academics intentions and the opportunities provided by the local environment as main drivers for regionally-oriented activities. In more detail, this paper finds that personal motivations do play the expected clear role in explaining the decisions of individual researchers to engage in a certain type of regionally-oriented activity. The individual researcher's disciplinary background, in contrast, seems to play a less clear-cut role than expected, as does the organisational background of the university. Whereas most general trends suggested by the literature were confirmed, substantial variation remains within academic fields and similar university types ...