Socium

Academia-industry collaboration (AIC) is widely recognized as essential for innovation, yet persistent barriers rooted in identity, attitudes, stereotypes and organizational culture remain undertheorized. This conceptual manuscript advances a socio-cognitive perspective on AIC, arguing that many obstacles are psychological and social rather than purely technical. The study proposes a National Research Corpus (NRC) as a shared knowledge infrastructure that functions not merely as a repository but as a socio-cognitive environment fostering intergroup understanding, trust and cooperative norms. Integrating Social Identity Theory (SIT), Intergroup Contact Theory (ICT) and Knowledge-Sharing Theory (KST), the paper develops a conceptual model linking shared knowledge to reduced bias and enhanced collaboration. Eight formal propositions guide future empirical research. Implications for leadership, organizational culture, social influence and social policy are discussed, with a focus on SOCIUM’s core themes. The paper concludes with a structured limitations section and directions for empirical testing.