There is a high probability that a department undertaking partnership or contract relationships will not break even for a number of years. The university may not recoup its risk capital within any single year or biennial budgetary increment. Universities have to identify individuals who can provide businesses with products and services that meet their needs. These people have to be able to work in both business and academic environments, meeting the needs of both communities while translating the activities and intentions of one to the other. An important difference between corporate and collegiate cultures has to do with time and scheduling.
Universities benefit from flexible time schedules but are challenged in finding financing.
Corporations may have greater funding flexibility but are challenged by competitive time schedules. Beyond this general difference, there is a critical, up-front time during which the relationship between the business and the university develops. These early, critical steps may take months. From a university perspective, they consume valuable resources without return on investment. But from a business point of view, these activities are necessary to determine if a business relationship can follow.