Structure and Culture in Faculty Work: Implications for Technology Transfer

Abstract

The recent proliferation of research centers and institutes suggests that administrators view nondepartmental units as effective ways to promote interdisciplinarity and enhance technology transfer. However, this study finds that the new structures have less influence with biotechnology faculty in research universities than do traditional structures such as departments in changing faculty self-identification. As an influence on faculty attitudes and behavior, structure is overshadowed by the faculty culture, exemplified by academic discipline, rank, and tenure status.