Colleges and universities are two of the most formidable resources a country has to reinvent and grow its economy. This is the second of two papers that outlines a process of building and strengthening research universities that enhances regional technology development and facilitates flexible networks of collaboration and resource sharing. In the first paper, research clusters were highlighted. In this paper, the concentration is on the implementation of research clusters to unlock the potential of the universities as open laboratories. The focus of the open laboratory is on swift translation to practice, leveraging and diversifying limited funding resources, integration across disciplines, and facilitating community partnerships to build global competitive advantage in research and development. The strategies described were undertaken at large public universities and in a smaller college environment which are representative of many colleges and universities. The analysis of the factors influencing research and development in today's competitive environment, alongside key research management interventions, provides a framework for adapting the concepts to fit the needs of a full range of educational institutions and environments. [For the first of the two papers, see "Growing an Emerging Research University," EJ1013309.]