Learning in university technology transfer offices: transactions-focused and relations-focused approaches to commercialization of academic research

Dagmara M Weckowska

doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2014.11.003

Abstract

University Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) need a wide range of abilities to facilitate commercial exploitation of research outputs; however, we know relatively little about how these important abilities are developed and refined over time. We draw on practice-based studies of learning to create a novel conceptualization of learning processes and their outcomes in TTOs and show that this conceptualization of learning provides new empirical insights into how learning in TTOs shapes their commercialization practice. We investigate learning-in-practice in case studies of six UK TTOs and find two approaches to commercialization, namely transactions-focused practice and relations-focused practice. We find that both practices co-exist and co-evolve in some TTOs while other TTOs are predominantly transactions-focused. For the latter the development of a relations-focused approach is difficult, but possible if there is strategic direction and if sources of inertia are removed by TTO directors. Given that evolving practice cannot be fully explained by informal learning processes, we suggest that so far separate streams of practice-based literature on learning and strategizing should be brought together. The implications for further investigations of TTO abilities and some recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.

Highlights

IntroductionIt is widely accepted in science, technology and innovation studies ‘that the innovative capacity of a nation depends on the strength of individual “players” (firms, universities, government research laboratories) but perhaps more importantly on the links between those actors' (Morlacchi and Martin, 2009, p. 578)
It is widely accepted in science, technology and innovation studies ‘that the innovative capacity of a nation depends on the strength of individual “players” but perhaps more importantly on the links between those actors' (Morlacchi and Martin, 2009, p. 578)
The article introduces a novel conceptualization of how learning occurs in Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), and how the learning processes involved shape learning outcomes, and shows that this conceptualization of learning is useful and provides new empirical insights into how learning in TTOs shapes their commercialization practice

Summary

Introduction

It is widely accepted in science, technology and innovation studies ‘that the innovative capacity of a nation depends on the strength of individual “players” (firms, universities, government research laboratories) but perhaps more importantly on the links between those actors' (Morlacchi and Martin, 2009, p. 578). George, 2005; Lockett and Wright, 2005; Markman et al, 2005a; Rasmussen and Jarl, 2010), ‘expertise’ (Swamidass and Vulasa, 2009), ‘experience’ (Link and Siegel, 2005; Siegel et al, 2008; Thursby and Thursby, 2002) ‘competence’ (Alexander and Martin, 2013; Siegel et al, 2007a) and ‘practices’ (Debackere and Veugelers, 2005a; Resende et al, 2013) These studies reveal a range of abilities that have a positive effect on the university's technology transfer (TT) performance, including the ability to evaluate technological inventions, to secure Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), to identify commercial partners and to establish new ventures for commercial exploitation of academic inventions. University TTOs can be ‘bottlenecks’ to or ‘facilitators of innovation dissemination’ (Litan et al, 2008), and how TTO abilities develop is an important topic that has been under-researched

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