The pilot technology access program: A federal experiment in technology transfer

In 1990, Congress authorized the creation of a pilot Technology Access Program (TAP), to be administered jointly by the Small Business Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. TAP, modelled substantially on a Minnesota state program, will subsidize access by small businesses to [1] a network of several thousand peer-recommended technical experts across the country and [2] interactive searching of technical and business literature databases. Preliminary evidence, from two surveys of random samples of companies that subscribe to the Minnesota service, indicate that this form of technology transfer is effective and could have a substantial positive impact on the productivity of small companies. If the pilot TAP program is successful, it could serve as the basis for a national technical-extension service.     

Government supported industry-university research centers: Issues for successful technology transfer

In order to increase the use of federally supported research and development to increase U.S. industrial competitiveness, new partnerships are being developed among the research producers, users, and funders. This paper summarizes the evolution of federal technology transfer models with particular attention to university-industry cooperative research centers sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The advantages and potential problems associated with such centers are presented and the implications for technology and innovation are discussed.     

Japanese biotechnology: Government,corporations, and technology transfer

In the newly emerging field of biotechnology, Japan so far is generally considered to be lagging somewhat behind the US. Through the judicious application of industrial policy to encourage the growth of the industry, however, Japan is rapidly gaining on the US lead. Joint ventures between large Japanese companies specializing in areas such as chemicals and food and new American biotechnology companies play a key role in the technology-transfer process. This paper analyzes the dynamics and potential of Japanese efforts in biotechnology. Certain structural features of the Japanese economy, such as extensive corporate financial resources, traditional fermentation expertise, and, in particular, government policy to encourage high-technology research and development, serve to increase Japanese competitiveness in the field.     

Japanese biotechnology: Government,corporations, and technology transfer

In the newly emerging field of biotechnology, Japan so far is generally considered to be lagging somewhat behind the US. Through the judicious application of industrial policy to encourage the growth of the industry, however, Japan is rapidly gaining on the US lead. Joint ventures between large Japanese Companies specializing in areas such as chemicals and food and new American biotechnology companies play a key role in the technology-transfer process. This paper analyzes the dynamics and potential of Japanese efforts in biotechnology. Certain structural features of the Japanese economy, such as extensive corporate financial resources, traditional fermentation expertise, and, in particular, government policy to encourage high-technology research and development. serve to increase Japanese competitiveness in the field.     

A decision support system model for technology transfer

Technology transfer is the process by which technology originating at one institutional setting is adapted for use in another. A major impediment to the implementation of new technologies to assist with mangerial decision-making problems is a lack of communication between the technology and management communities. Development of a tool designed to bridge the technology transfer gap was the goal of this research. The result is a prototype software package which may be used on an interactive computer terminal by a manager for assistance in designing a decision support system (DSS). The four primary research tasks were:

1. Develop a conceptual model of the DSS design process.
2. Select and adapt, or create, appropriate software to mechanize the model.
3. Develop a knowledge base to describe the interactiveness of various organization variables and managerial decision-making needs.
4. Collect and analyze interview data and implement resultant production rules on the model.

Tasks 1 and 2 were accomplished first to establish the feasibility of this effort. An interview instrument was developed for Task 3. And, corporate managers from several firms were interviewed to accomplish Task 4. Using this data, a prototype production rule model (called DECAIDS for DECISION AIDS) was constructed which supports managerial decision-making from the EMYCIN production rule system used at Stanford University. The purpose of this article is to introduce the need for a Decision Support System Model. A complete copy of this research can be obtained through University Microfilms International, 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California 93940, or the Defense Technical Information Center, Cameron Station, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. The title is “An Interactive Decision Support System for Technology Transfer Pertaining to Organization and Management”, 1980.     

Doing technology transfer in federal laboratories (Part 1)

According to data from the Congressional General Accounting Office and the Association of University Technology Managers, the federal laboratories seriously lag some universities in rates of technology transfer. This paper, based on interviews with technology-transfer professionals in federal laboratories and universities, discusses the phenomenon of technology transfer, highlighting subjects such as technology push and market pull, cooperative R&D, technology licensing, start-up companies, information-dissemination and technology-search programs, technology transfer and local development, models of technology-transfer programs, limits to federal technology transfer, and measurement of technology transfer. It concludes that the explanation for the difference in technology-transfer rates between federal laboratories and universities is due primarily to the way technology-transfer opportunities are marketed in the two sectors.     

Cost-sharing — A necessary component for successful technology transfer

The general objective of this paper is to propose the establishment of a federal cost-sharing policy for reducing risk in transferring technology from the R&D stage to commercialization. Minimization of this risk barrier is expected to encourage diverse groups to participate in technology transfer. Section II focuses on specific barriers that impede technology transfer efforts and it presents policy options to minimize identified barriers. Section III introduces objectives of cost-sharing experiments from which cost-sharing policies can be formulated. In addition, we also identify specific cost-sharing participation criteria and success variables for the policy.     

Menu of best practices in technology transfer (Part 2)

This menu accompanies the paper on the previous pages—“Doing Technology Transfer in Federal Laboratories (Part 1)”—and compiles best practices in technology transfer as defined by the institutions that use them. It is based on interviews with technology-transfer professionals in federal laboratories and universities. It highlights best practices in organizing the technology-transfer function, involving the science and technology staffs, capturing intellectual property, evaluating and patenting intellectual property, marketing technologies, preparing technologies for commercialization, transferring technology locally, using technology-transfer intermediaries, and using technology-search programs. The menu ends with a collection of conventional wisdom about technology transfer.     

Evaluating prediction of technology transfer success: An interim evaluation of the dutch sensor technology program

Technology Foundation STW, a grant organization in the Netherlands, selects research proposals from universities on the basis of their scientific quality and their utilization potential. The proposals are in the field of applied science. STW also assists the research groups in the four years after the grant by bringing together the researchers and the potential users in half-day meeti gs twice a year at the university concerned. STW seeks methods to relate the differences in the research outcomes (“evaluation after”) to the differences in assessment rankings (“evaluation before”). This study will focus on the evaluation of a sensor technology program managed by STW as a subset of the larger set of all research projects funded by STW. We go back to the most basic and simple definition of utilization of outcome, namely whether the research results were or were not used by parties outside the university. This simple basis gives surprisingly positive results. First, it does indeed seem that for STW as a whole, the assessment beforehand is a predictor of the chance that the results will be used later. But this does not seem to be true as far as the subset of sensor technology projects is concerned. These findings can help us obtain more insight into what our selection process does and into what determines the success rate in terms of utilization six years after the research has ended.     

The cooperative extension service: A model for technology transfer

Since its inception in 1914, the Cooperative Extension Service has been delivering technology effectively to the agricultural community. The history of CES is discussed briefly, and the program's success, in terms of visibility, usage, and economic impact, is documented. Although the extension model has not been applied widely in industries outside of agriculture, some states have experimented with technology-transfer programs fashioned after CES. It is argued that these programs have not acquired the critical mass of resources needed to make them truly effective, and, unless they gain additional support, they should expand their services to increase their value and assess fees for assistance rendered. Gregory D. McFall was, during preparation of this paper, an undergraduate research fellow, majoring in physics, mathematics, and philosophy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He currently is doing graduate work at VPI & SU.     

NASP program technology: An example of transfer benefit for the medical industry and spinback benefit for the government

Technology developed in the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) program is finding its way into a variety of applications ranging from aerospace to automotive to medical. The NASP Technology Applications Integrated Product Team (IPT) is pursuing technology transfer opportunities to promote the wide use of NASP-developed or-inspired materials in these and other industries. While product innovations and enhancements serve the commercial sector well, they also spin back to the government in the form of cheaper, higher-performing systems and components.     

BodyShock: A technology transfer case study

This case study presents a test of a technology transfer model developed by Karl Dakin of The Denver Technology Exchange Corporation. The model involves the creation of a new business organization dedicated solely to completing the transfer of a technology to a single application. In this case, the technology is the BodyShock, developed by Jim Hartway with JH Design, Inc., of Littleton, Colorado.     

A legal perspective on university technology transfer

In the thirty-five years after passage of the Bayh–Dole Act of 1980, a robust literature has documented the emergence of university technology transfer as a critical mechanism for the dissemination and commercialization of new technology stemming from federally-funded research. Missing from these investigations, however, is what this paper terms the legal perspective, an understanding of how the law and its attendant mechanisms impact university technology transfer. Specifically, the paper reviews the extant legal scholarship and provides examples of how case law, legal structures, and the unique nature of intellectual property law affects technology transfer, as well as higher education policy and management. Throughout, we propose critical questions for future investigation, which serve to form a cross-disciplinary research agenda that can contribute fresh insights to scholarly and policy discussions related to the role of universities in economic and social development.     

Strategic perspective on technology transfer: A call for collaborative research

Technology transfer should not be viewed as a single, “one shot” process. There are downstream strategic issues that must be dealt with if the technology-transfer process is to be well-integrated into a firm's activities. Too often these downstream issues are not apparent during the decisions leading to the actual transfer of the technology. Several key issues that should be weighed by managers are presented, their impact on competitive positioning is considered, and they are discussed in the contexts of maquiladora (twin-plant) factories in Mexico and investments in Chinese Special Economic Zones.     

Sea Grant — A technology transfer model for the marine field

A network of 29 Sea Grant Programs now operate in almost all of the 34 eligible coastal and Great Lake states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Island Territories. Operating in response to current needs and opportunities by applying faculty, research staff and student expertise, Sea Grant Programs have developed many new systems, processes, policy and legal studies, and technologies. These have been effectively transferred to user groups, including major industries, businesses, government agencies, citizen groups and individuals. Many examples of successful technology development and transfer are discussed. Some examples are the hydrodynamic modeling of transport and dispersion of pollutants in large definable water bodies, the demonstration of a prototype machine for skinning the Spiny Dogfish Shark and application of vibration studies to reduce wave response of offshore structures. The examples demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of the Sea Grant concept.     

Expert systems for medical diagnosis: A study in technology transfer

Expert systems continue to evolve for specific applications in medical diagnosis. This is necessary because the influx of new information is so massive that the expert systems must be specialized. The research methodology for this study was based on the usage patterns of expert systems in clinical pathology with data obtained at 94 US medical schools from 202 medical-school-based clinical pathologists. The study showed the link between the use of expert systems in medical schools and within the professional medical community. Initial education in medical schools and ongoing communications through residency programs, post-doctoral fellowships and clinical usage at university hospitals with the goal of technology transfer between medical schools and physicians, seem to represent the future for this valuable diagnostic technique.