A systematic approach to technology transfer

Pouring millions into R&;D with insufficient innovation and paltry returns? One solution: Revamp the process of bringing a product to market by integrating the efforts of technology and marketing personnel.     

The linkers contribution to technology transfer

The role of an individual known as a ‘linker’ is examined and the similarities between his role and those of ‘gatekeeper’, ‘opinion leader’, and ‘innovator’ are discussed in detail. Not only are the similarities among these roles pointed out but also the unique characteristics of the ‘linker’ are clarified. A Linker Model for Technology Transfer is presented showing the value of a ‘linker’ to the parent and users organizations. Managerial endeavors to understand and promote technology transfer can be facilitated by the in-depth research presented.     

Optimizing federal technology transfer to promote commercialization

Federal technology transfer programs have two primary purposes: (1) to transfer technology (including knowledge, know-how, and ideas, as well as hardware) to companies to strengthen the companies’ commercialization of products and (2) to transfer technology to a federal agency from another federal agency or the private sector so the agency can execute its congressionally designated mission more efficiently and at reduced cost to the taxpayer. In the selection of technology transfer projects for funding, agencies often require that both purposes be satisfied. This study emphasizes the principles of technology transfer to strengthen companies’ commercialization practices.     

Barriers to technology transfer and their elimination

An analogy between the flow of technology and the flow of electricity is used as a method to analyze technology transfer. This effort is expanded by an analogy to the Lewin's field theory in Social Science. An effort is then made to understand better the types of barriers to technology transfer. Several classes of barriers are identified and are then discussed in detail.     

Organizational factors related to technology transfer and innovation

This paper highlights those organizational factors which the research literature indicates as having an impact upon an organization's likelihood to exhibit innovative behavior. Measures of technical progressiveness, characteristics of firms receptive to outside information, the effect of organizational size, internal structure and procedures, and other factors are investigated, as are policies which encourage innovation. It is concluded that most research offers little of value to one desiring to make agiven organization more innovative (such as through effective internal communication of technical information), but is of value to an outsider attempting to identifywhich organizations are likely to be receptive to new technology.     

Is technology transfer to subsistence farmers doubling nothing?

Editors Note: This commentary touches on an aspect of technology transfer to the Third World that often is neglected: Can the technology recipients afford to use it? Although the authors focus on the economics of shrimp production by subsistence farmers, affordability is one of the major concomitant issues of transfer from developed to developing countries.     

A partnership approach to successful,cost-effective technology transfer

The U.S. government, which funds virtually all types of basic research and development, can maximize its investment and best support technology transfer by focusing on R&D at its “budding” stage, and by involving large corporations, small businesses, and researchers in formal three-way partnerships to refine promising technologies and find suitable markets for them. This approach has the added benefit of requiring no additional, special funding for technology transfer. I propose a three-way technology transfer approach based on these concepts: the creation of a three-way partnership among researchers (the innovators), small business (the product/market developers), and industry (the end users of technology), with close liaison from day one for each project, and government serving as the facilitator; the selection of projects that will produce research and development results convertible to prototypes for testing in the end user’s environment; and the selection of projects that complement each other for building a critical mass of technology transfer from the bottom up. This type of approach utilizes the best attributes of each member of the technology partnership; focuses technology transfer efforts at the level of basic technology, where there is maximum flexibility and opportunity; and utilizes existing program funding to accomplish technology transfer objectives.     

Strategies for promoting technology transfer to the private sector

This article discusses alternative promotion strategies that public policy makers can use to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of technology transfer programs. Three transfer strategies are described; the passive, the role-directed, and the organization-directed strategies. Factors influencing the selection of one of these transfer strategies by policy makers are considered in detail.     

The contributions of invention management companies to technology transfer

A new type of organization which is explicitly dedicated to technology transfer has emerged in the United States: Companies which manage inventions produced by universities, independent inventors and other creative groups. This paper shows that these “Invention Management Companies” (IMCs) make important and unique contributions to technology transfer on legal issues (e.g., guarding against patent infringements), marketing (e.g., convincing a company to commercialize au invention) and advocating the invention against the organized opposition of established technologies. Given the contributions of IMCs to an emerging system for encouraging innovation (an “Inventive Society”), the paper recommends broadening the role of IMCs as information providers and linking them to incubators and venture capital companies.     

The new stock in trade — technology or stewards of technology transfer — Dr. Dvorkovitz & Associates

A brief account of the growth of the “market” concept, as related to technology transfer, leads into the establishment of Dr. Dvorkovitz & Associates by its founder and owner, Vladimir Dvorkovitz, Ph.D., where the company has been, where it is at present, and plans for the immediate future, as related to the world wide dissemination of data on technology available for license from industry, government organizations, university and private research centers, and individual inventors. Company activities cover the computerized data bank, InstanTechEx; TechEx, the annual World Fair for Technology Exchange; the publication on licensing and technology transfer, UNIT.     

System architecture practices to facilitate Department of Defense technology transfer

This paper explores the possibilities of combining DOD technology transfer mechanisms to systems architecture techniques as a means to shorten program acquisition timelines while still providing high technology, robust tools to the women and men serving in the United States military. A literature search demonstrates that few articles have been published on the relationship between systems architecture and technology transfer. However, any DOD laboratory that employs more than 200 scientists and engineers is required by law to have a full time Office of technology transfer, so why has so little research been performed on the synergies between the two DOD disciplines? This paper will describe the ways that the systems architecture tools and practices, and technology transfer transactional mechanisms available to all DOD laboratories, can be utilized to increase knowledge sharing with small business and industry partners to shorten acquisition cycles.

     

Omissions relevant to the contextual domains of technology transfer models

Ideographic representations (schematic drawings) are useful for analyzing and communicating complex ideas. They constitute simplified versions of the way multiple and diverse elements, concepts, and variables interact according to each author's conceptions, knowledge, and experience of planned change and change phenomena. Such representations depict a sense of order under a particular model configuration or system notion, involving contexts where action takes place and events occur. This paper is based on the commonality analysis of 46 models related to technology transfer. Within the framework of previously published research, complementary findings are presented here. The discussion is focused on the characteristics of the models' contexts, appealing to some technology transfer aspects widely omitted or neglected. It is suggested that the understanding of intervention contextual domains is important to formulate and implement better technology transfer models.     

An applied technology transfer process

The applied technology transfer process is a communication process based on planning, marketing, and training. Planning is the single most important element, while pre-planning is also essential. The marketing part of applied technology transfer involves an in-depth knowledge of both consumers and products. A sound knowledge of media is also essential. The marketing step is the key delivery or transfer element. Applied technology transfer is a system that requires skills such as management and communication techniques which can be learned in traditional academic courses. However, other skills such as applied human relations are more easily learned under a supervised workshop approach. More complex technology transfer systems require additional training on a continuing education basis. The development of technology transfer learning centers can also be useful. Applied technology transfer is a research investment rather than a cost. It is the technology transfer process that insures the timely application of research effort. Research pay-off is derived from use of research products. Thus, applied technology transfer represents research delivery insurance.     

Entrepreneurial finance and technology transfer

Scholars in technology transfer come from a variety of different backgrounds and employ different theoretical and methodological assumptions. Such multidisciplinary approach has fertilized the evolution of a florid technology transfer literature, with insights from entrepreneurship, economics, and management. This paper brings the perspective of entrepreneurial finance into the realm of technology transfer, and identifies emerging topics that can complement our understanding of some aspects of technology transfer, especially with regard to supply-side public policies. This article introduces the rationale for the special issue dedicated to entrepreneurial finance and technology transfer. We summarize the main topics and themes covered by a selection of papers presented at the annual conference of the Technology Transfer Society in 2013, and suggest areas for future research.     

Modernizing federal technology transfer metrics

The Journal of Technology Transfer - Nearly 40 years ago Congress laid the foundation for federal agencies to engage in technology transfer activities with a primary goal to make federal...