| Abstract: |
In 2021, I received a research grant from a private global corporation to
convene a group of academics and practitioners to produce a series of research
outputs that addressed the impact of data localisation in emerging data
protection regulation across three African countries. While the project was
successful, its implementation presented challenges. Some of these included
navigating the bureaucracy of academic institutions to forge partnerships with
corporations; dealing with concerns regarding research integrity in the face
of conflicting objectives in an academic-business collaboration; as well as
navigating power imbalances within the partnership. This paper addresses these
challenges to explore solutions for managing independent research funded by
powerful corporations. I discuss the risks, benefits, and requirements for
both parties to forge a successful partnership. The solutions proposed here
include understanding the type and form of partnership that will achieve the
research objectives of each partner; maintaining transparency and open lines
of communication between them; securing professional assistance on issues
related to intellectual property, confidentiality, and the publication of
research findings, as well as the importance of trust and mutual respect for
each partner’s knowledge, expertise and overall contribution. |