Brazilians technology transfer offices: processes’ performance and effectiveness

Abstract

Considering relations between universities and the productive sector, the Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) fundamentally foster innovation. In the technology process, transfer TT) since they are responsible for studies of prospecting and competitive intelligence and their protection in intellectual property (IP). The present study aims to identify the effectiveness of TT processes as a measure of the performance of Brazilians Science and Technology Institutions (STIs) TTOs considering their technology, innovation promotion policies and intellectual property protection. It regards qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research with a multiple-study method. The data was collected through documentary research and semi-structured interviews with three groups of actors already participating in TT processes: researchers, TTO managers, and company managers. Through the triangulation of data, data triangulation these institutions still need to have adequate adherence to the models of business innovation management used by the local productive sector and need more bidirectional planning. Despite the advancement of the scope and quality of services offered by TTOs and the amounts of technology contracts, there has been an extensive effort to improve the communication channels and promote innovation by identifying factors that contribute to and hamper the promotion of change in the Ceará' scenario, the characteristics that group STIs in different stages of maturation were detected.