Technology transfer: an examination of the UMIST Total Quality Management Teaching Programme

Abstract

The Teaching Company Scheme (TCS) is a UK Government initiative to encourage technology transfer between higher education and industry. This paper reports on a critical examination of one such TCS Programme, the UMIST Multi–Company Total Quality Management Programme. The findings indicate that technology transfer and exchange have taken place in both directions with the multi–company nature of the program increasing the velocity of transfer, and that all three partners have benefited from the collaboration. A number of factors have been identified which have limited the effectiveness of the Programme, including changes in industrial supervisor, calibre of Associates, level of quality management understanding in the companies and the degree to which Associates have created a synergistic effect.