Corporate Incubators: Industrial R&D and What Universities can Learn from them

The explosive growth of incubation has seen a concurrent and significant increase in research on and knowledge of the incubation phenomenon. However, instead of comprehensively differentiating between non-profit and for-profit incubators, research has described a whole array of partly overlapping archetypes, thus missing out on important aspects. This article first offers two arguments validating a framework of what non-profit university incubators can learn from for-profit corporate incubators before presenting the framework itself. While corporate incubators are for-profit organizations with which to enhance a corporation’s technology development, university incubators try to leverage technological insights from the university in a similar manner. In accordance with their respective missions, organizational structures, incubator processes and resource flows, it is possible to transfer lessons learned from two corporate incubator archetypes—the fast-profit incubator and leveraging incubator—to the world of university incubator. Our empirical findings are based on in-depth case studies of 25 companies through 52 semi-structured interviews with managers of corporate incubators of large technology-intensive corporations in Europe and the U.S., two EU incubator benchmarking surveys and five interviews with the heads of technology transfer offices of two top technology universities.     

State sponsored large scale technology transfer projects in a developing country context

Technology transfer can be seen as an effective mechanism to advance the flow of technological development in a developing country’s economy. Though normally small-scale technology transfer projects are initiated and managed by private organizations, the large-scale technology transfer projects in a developing country are sponsored by the state itself, given the complexity level of and resource requirements for such projects. The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the critical elements of a successful large-scale technology transfer process framework in a developing country context. Four components are highlighted that facilitate a successful large-scale technology transfer process. These are: (i) understanding and selecting technology components; (ii) selecting a technology transfer mode; (iii) negotiating effective process; and (iv) developing capability. Aspects of negotiation and adoption/assimilation capability development are stressed in this paper, which is commonly missed out in conventional technology transfer framework. Accordingly a comprehensive and goal oriented technology transfer framework has been presented in the paper linking all the core elements. A Libyan case study is discussed to illustrate the framework.      

Boundary spanning between industry and university: the role of Technology Transfer Centres

Technology Transfer Centres (TTCs) have been analyzed in the last few years by focusing on the relationship between a TTC, provider of knowledge-intensive services, and a firm client-receiver. Less attention has been devoted to a more complex relationship which involves in the dyadic provider-receiver tie a third relevant body, University. We provide both a theoretical and an empirical contribution by studying whether TTCs can bond the academic and industrial system and we define the activities that make-up this role such as: scanning and selection of R&D opportunities, bridge building, semantic translation of domain specific knowledge, co-production of new knowledge. The boundary spanning role of TTCs is discussed drawing on different and complementary theoretical perspectives. Moreover, we test research hypotheses on the antecedents of boundary spanning activity from a knowledge-based perspective. We argue that TTC boundary spanners need to leverage on both technical skills and networking competences. Empirical investigation has been carried out with a survey of the TTC population of North East Italy. The research findings highlight the task coordination activities implied by a boundary spanning role in joint R&D projects and show that the endowment of human capital at individual level and a qualified social capital at individual and organizational level are the main determinants.     

Technology,change, and the management accountant

Before technology transfer can take place there must be a climate for change. An understanding of the change process is necessary if the transfer of new accounting technology is to be successful and if the design and implementation of it can be carried out in such a way as to create a fit within a particular organizational culture and environment. This article provides some insight into organizational change, change in management-accounting technologies, and the contributions of accountants to innovation in technology organizations.     

A longitudinal analysis of technical communication in research and development

A unique longitudinal study of the technical communication patterns of 184 engineers in a high technology research and development laboratory centers in the activities of technology gatekeepers. This two-step flow of technical information follows the literature as well as results from prior studies. Gatekeepers span the organizational boundary in the transfer of technology from outside the laboratory, while facilitating the distribution of technical information to colleagues within the organization. Sociometric data are analyzed over a five-year period with respect to changing organizational structures, new technical assignments and alterations in group composition. Despite these dynamic changes, the data reveal consistent results in gatekeeper identification and technical information flows.     

Technology transfer and value creation: Extending the theory beyond information exchange

Most interfirm models of technology transfer involve the exchange of information. As technology gains increasing importance in competitive strategy, however, the information-exchange perspective becomes increasingly limited. This paper conceptually extends the interfirm technology-transfer process to include aspects of commercialization and value creation. Like other areas of organizational science, much of the problem associated with technology transfer involves implementation. The model developed in this study, in its simplest form, links the technology-transfer process to the well-developed process models of new-product and new-venture development.     

Transferring technology across borders: institutional effects in Chinese context

Effective technology transfer across borders is very complex and difficult. There are so many factors that affect the effectiveness of technology transfer across borders, and the host country’s institutional profile is a critical factor. The country institutional profile reflects the institutional environment in that country and is defined as the set of all relevant institutions that have been established over time, that operate in that country, and that are transmitted into organizations through individuals (Kostova 1997, 1999; Kostova and Roth 2002) [Country institutional profiles: Concept and measurement. Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, pp. 180–189; Transnational transfer of strategic organizational practices: A contextual perspective. Academy of Management Review, 24(2), 308–324; Adoption of an organizational practice by subsidiaries of multinational corporations: Institutional and relational effects. Academy of Management Journal, 45(1), 213–233.]. There have been some studies about the relationship between institutional profile and technology transfer, but there are few studies with a Chinese context. Technology transfer plays an important role in developing countries and has been as one of vital strategies to build an innovative nation in China. Therefore, it is urgent to focus on the relationship between China’s institutional profile and technology transfer. The results of structural equation modeling, the subject of this paper, were based on an empirical study of 167 foreign ventures sampled in China, but they did not fully confirm what the institutional theory emphasized about the effectiveness of technology transfer. The normative dimension of the country institutional profile was shown to have a significantly positive effect on the effectiveness of technology transferring across borders, but contrary to expectations, the regulatory dimension of the country institutional profile was shown to have a significantly negative effect on the effectiveness of technology transfer, while the cognitive dimension has no significant effect on it. The concluding section of the paper discusses some practical implications and potential future study directions.      

Transferring technology transfer into an Air Force unit

This article describes barriers to technology transfer and changes that occurred when a technology—artificial intelligence—was introduced in an applied high-technology setting at the Deputate of Communications-Computers. Electronic Security Command, US Air Force, San Antonio, TX. The authors, who were responsible for transferring the technology, based their method on an accepted model that focuses on the ability of individuals to bring about change. They regard technology transfer as the introduction and communication of a technology for practical application. Transfer into an organization entails an appreciation by the transfer agent and the recipient of how the technology will be received, used, and applied; how it will affect the recipient's management style; and how the transfer process is designed to meet the needs of the organization. Identifying, infusing, and marketing technologies often causes hostile reactions by the targeted receiver, partly because it is a challenge to the status quo and partly because the organization's technical and non-technical people don't see eye-to-eye. This has been true in our setting. Specialists have been too adamant to accept contrary views and management has not taken the need for specialists and their new technologies seriously enough. He is Chief, Rapid Prototyping Section, and he heads artificial-intelligence development.     

The technology transfer process: Concepts,framework and methodology

The concepts, framework and methodology of the technology transfer process are discussed. On the basis of research a model of the transfer mechanism is developed. This model is carried through several iterations to arrive at a predictive model of technology transfer. The model is useful in terms of exposing difficiencies in the acceptance of new and/or innovative technology. In addition the model has a future usefulness in terms of providing a basis for a quantitative measure of the effectiveness of an organization to capitalize on the technology transfer process.     

Organizational Structure as a Determinant of Academic Patent and Licensing Behavior: An Exploratory Study of Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Pennsylvania State Universities

This paper examines the influences of university organizational structure on technology transfer performance. The analysis treats the organizational structure of the technology-transfer office as an independent variable that accounts, in part, for measured differences in inter-institutional patenting, licensing, and sponsored research activities. We derive and investigate three hypotheses that link attributes of organizational form – information processing capacity, coordination capability and incentive alignment – to technology transfer outcomes. A detailed analysis of three major research universities – Johns Hopkins University, Pennsylvania State University, and Duke University – provides evidence of the existence of alternative organizational structures. The data also suggest that these organizational capabilities result in differences in technology transfer activity.     

Guns to butter: Technology-transfer strategies in the national laboratories

The military threat to national security has substantially diminished, and the need for a stronger focus on economic competitiveness for the US is becoming more pronounced every day. We must find ways to accomplish more-effective technology transfer. This paper outlines four technology-transfer strategies used by the Department of Energy's national laboratories: the passive strategy, the active strategy, the entrepreneurial strategy, and the national-competitiveness strategy. It compares these strategies in terms of organizational structure, performance measures, and staffing, and it discusses the implications of these comparisons of technology transfer. The findings contained in this paper are based on the author's interviews with technology-transfer staff and program directors at the national laboratories and on analysis of the institutional plans.     

A Rich Vision of Technology Transfer Technology Value Management

This paper considers technology transfer from a holistic perspective, defining and integrating all essential elements. Technology, technology ownership, and technology transfer are defined to enable practical management of the value of technology as an organizational asset. Concepts from value-chain movement of technology in commercial product development are used to develop a complete, detailed vision of technology transfer across corporate boundaries. Lessons enable development of a productive technology-transfer function that will speed evolution of technology to product and enable creation of new wealth.     

Who Develops a University Invention? The Impact of Tacit Knowledge and Licensing Policies

In this paper, I propose a theoretical model to illustrate how the inventor know-how affects whether the inventor starts a firm to develop her idea or licenses an invention to an established firm for development. Inventor start-ups are characterized as development organizations that serve a temporary role in the invention–innovation process, developing an invention until they can sell the developed invention to an established firm that owns requisite complementary assets for commercialization. This model is then used to analyze the role and impact of a university technology transfer office (TTO) on this process to understand how TTO’s may both positively and negatively impact the transaction. The model posits a general theory of inventor–entrepreneur behavior in university and corporate research labs based on two factors: the importance of know-how and the distribution of inventors’ personal costs to transfer that know-how.     

Effectiveness of university technology transfer: an organizational population ecology view of a maturing supplier industry

In this article, we propose that universities engaged in technology transfer activities can be viewed as the University Technology Commercialization (UTC) industry. We use an organizational population ecology perspective to outline an economic model for the analysis of the UTC industry. We introduce cohort analysis and time-lagged comparisons of multiple stages in the commercialization process to examine the efficiency and productivity of the industry. Our main source of data is the Association of University Technology Managers licensing surveys from 1991 through 2004. Results indicate that industry growth is slowing, and that the technology transfer process is becoming less efficient; opportunities for individual and/or collective action are noted.     

The effectiveness of Kyoto Protocol and the legal institution for international technology transfer

Kyoto Protocol has certain provisions concerning environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) transfer, primarily including the direct provisions, the clean development mechanism and the fund mechanism, which are supposed to favor technology transfer for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the world. However, mainly due to the flaws of these provisions, ESTs have not been transferred as smoothly as possible to realize the Kyoto Protocol’s objectives. Therefore, the international community shall take the effectiveness of Kyoto Protocol as a fresh impetus to consummate the legal system of international technology transfer, that is, to develop a uniform technology transfer agreement under the WTO with a focus on promoting ESTs transfer, which may make the developing countries to acquire the technologies they need under the fair terms and help them build their capacities for sustainable development. China does not need to perform the obligation of reducing GHG emissions until 2013 according to Kyoto Protocol, but precautions shall be taken to improve its legal systems on technology transfer to make preparations for implementing the policy of scientific development and playing significant roles in related international legislation.     

Predicting Technology Success: Identifying Key Predictors and Assessing Expert Evaluation for Advanced Technologies

This study investigates a set of precursor factors that appear related to future technology success, and whether or not expert evaluators can a priori provide useful information during the technology review process. Sixty-nine highly advanced post 9–11 technologies are tracked over time. Based upon the results of this study, we conclude that a reasonably good predictive model can be constructed from organizational and technology factors, such as firm size, stage of development, and strategic partnerships. The results also indicate that the incremental value of expert reviewers and technology evaluators to predict future technology success is relatively small. Reviewers that provided the greatest predicative power, however, had current scientific responsibilities. These results raise important issues regarding the capability of developing predictive models of technology success.      

The European airline industry: law and economics of low cost carriers

This article offers an analysis of the European airline industry in order to understand the new dynamics of the competitive field. The liberalization process did not lead the entrance of competitors similar to incumbents, but a new organizational model has been developed, the one of low cost carriers. The incumbents’ reaction to the liberalization process coupled with the entrance of low cost companies into the sector are hence considered. Two theories are analysed: the contestable markets theory, to understand the theoretical vision that has influenced the liberalization process, and the core theory, a modern approach to the concept of destructive competition that, according to some authors, is a recurring problem in the sector. While numerous barriers to entry still exist, the paper examines how the organizational model of low cost companies has helped new entrants to overtake these obstacles. By the same token, the application of the core theory does not seem to justify strategic alliances taking place in these years. The competitive framework is definitely clearer if we analyse sector changes in a different way, from the point of view of low cost companies considered as new market actors.     

Transfer of academic research: uncovering the grey zone

In this study, we respond to calls for further investigation on why and how scientists choose to commercialize their research. Mowery (University entrepreneurship and technology transfer: process design, and intellectual property, Elsevier, Oxford 2005), in his criticism of the US-system, emphasizes the need for multiple channels between university and industry. His argument makes the case of Sweden interesting, where the researchers own the intellectual property of their research. Sweden thus constitutes a unique case where data can be found on which choices researchers make in a setting where a variety of channels for transfer are available. Our empirical data, collected through case studies, allowed for the expansion of the typology for mechanisms for transfer of academic research as well as the development of a typology for determinants for researchers’ choice to engage in transfer of research. Apart from those contributions to the theoretic discussion, the data also provided policy implications.     

Technology Transfer Emerging Issues “High Impact Trends”

Using an experienced-based methodology it is possible to “forecast” high impact trends in technology transfer. The results presented in this paper are based upon historical data, the author's professional experience, R&D trend information and the aggregation of responses from experts drawn from a wide range of organizational sectors. The technology transfer trend forecasts may be useful to professionals and organizations in technology transfer as they examine future opportunities.     

Transferring knowledge in Quebec–Mexico partnerships: the case of the dairy industry

This work seeks to contribute to technology transfer case study literature, by exploring the possibilities of an international trade between Mexico and Quebec in dairy industry under an international agreement??s environment. We report this probable exchange on an exploratory study, based on previous studies made at HEC Montréal at the International Technology Transfer course. This was explored in terms of knowledge and technology transfer, involving an innovative product. We present evidence based on public information and company interviews?? results which, analyzed through a theoretical framework of knowledge and technology transfer, suggests a possible future partnership, involving knowledge transfer. Our results show that, even if the two companies selected have similar cooperative-type structures, they do not behave in similar way. Both enterprises could better complement each other in terms of R&D, marketing, benchmarking, process and entrepreneurial capabilities. Furthermore, our research indicates that both enterprises could better face on industry??s threats in domestic and international competition, which could be used as a basis for further research in international technology transfers.