Organizational responses in a rationalized institutional context

Abstract

There is a growing research interest in the role of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) in facilitating academic entrepreneurship (Clarysse et al., 2005; 2011; Wright et al., 2007). Extant scholarship has studied how TTOs influence entrepreneurial outcomes of university research via supporting patenting, licensing and spin-off activities. (Clarysse et al, 2011); establishing and overseeing intellectual property (IP) policies (Welsh et al. 2008; McAdam et al. 2017); and developing relationships with industry (Lee and Win 2004; Hsu et al. 2015; Miller et al. 2014; McAdam et al. 2017). TTO are therefore operating in increasingly rationalized yet complex institutional contexts, governed by prescriptions and expectations emerging from very diverse stakeholders, including the university, government and industry amongst others. These institutional contexts may not necessarily be considered effective by TTOs for achieving their objectives. There is very limited knowledge about the ways in which TTOs can cope with such contexts, although the evidence from elsewhere indicates that organizations may, for instance, choose to comply with practices that help them survive an institutionally demanding context, in spite of the fact that these practices do not align with the ends that the organizations are meant to serve (Bromley and Powell, 2012). Hence, the aim of this paper is to advance our understanding of TTO responses to highly rationalized institutional contexts, complicated by multiplicity of stakeholders, expectations and practices. We make several empirical and theoretical contributions. First, we provide systematic categorisation TTO responses within a complex and rationalized institutional environment. Second, we demonstrate how combination of several institutional dynamics matter in developing response strategies and associated tactics. Third, we develop policy insights for pertinent stakeholders, illuminating managerial challenges faced by TTOs when achieving top-down metrics.