On September 18th, the first meeting of the project “Intergenerational Organizational Culture in the research centers and teams of Spanish universities” (COIIN) was held, funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities in the “R+D+i Knowledge Generation” call.
This initial meeting was held virtually and included the participation of all project members. During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to get to know each other, review the project objectives, assign responsibilities, and initiate planned activities. The project, which will be developed between 2025 and 2027, is coordinated by David Rodríguez and Diego Castro, professors at the Center for Research and Studies for Organizational Development at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
The constant generation and updating of scientific knowledge, as well as the consequent and desirable technological development and innovation, are key variables for economic and social progress. It is no coincidence that the first priority of the European Research and Innovation Space Committee (CEEI) is to promote more effective national research systems. The proper functioning of a research system necessarily implies the existence of effective research centers and teams composed of research personnel who meet the quality and efficiency criteria established at each moment and in each field of knowledge.
In Spanish universities, as institutions that provide shelter and coverage to most of the research centers and teams in our country, various generations of faculty currently coexist according to their chronological age. The coexistence of different generations within the same organization, whether by decision or necessity of the individuals themselves or by imposition of the social and productive system, currently represents one of the greatest challenges faced by any organization, including the research centers and teams of our universities.
Intergenerational organizational culture thus presents itself as a fundamental element for the development of more organic relationships, as well as for the promotion of effective knowledge exchange practices that lead to the professional development of research personnel and, consequently, the proper functioning and performance of the research centers and teams that make up our national Science, Technology, and Innovation system. However, despite all the progress made in analyzing the intergenerational dimension in work contexts, studies that delve into the concept of Intergenerational Organizational Culture are practically nonexistent, making it impossible to understand how the characteristics of this type of culture condition the functioning and performance of research centers and teams.
Therefore, based on the accumulated experience and results obtained in previous research projects, this project aims to analyze the relationship established between intergenerational organizational culture and the functioning and performance of research centers and teams in university contexts. This research objective is complemented by an innovation objective: to develop a model for promoting an intergenerational organizational culture in research centers and teams.
The research is structured into three major phases. The first two phases, directly linked to the general objective 1, propose a multiple case study approached from a sequential mixed methodology. The last phase, linked to the general objective 2, is approached from a qualitative perspective that helps us understand the adequacy and usefulness of the proposal.
The results obtained will contribute not only to further deepening and understanding the intergenerational dimension in university work contexts but will specifically define and introduce the concept of Intergenerational Organizational Culture into this research field as an essential element to promote the performance and professional development of research personnel.
