Technology transfer, the role of the linker

Abstract

Transferring technology from one organisation to another has been recognised for some time. However, what constitutes high technology has blurred in recent decades. It is widely understood that high technology involves computers. However, the new home theatre, complete with big-screen digital TV, DVD player, five speaker THX, Lucas or Dolby sound system, must also be high technology. New banking products such as purchasing foreign currency futures and derivatives are also high technology. In summary, many industries, both old and new, are now considered to be high technology. This article examines the role of the linker - the person who is the intermediary between the source of the high technology and the user of the high technology. It also reports a preliminary field study conducted both to test industry acceptance of the idea of technology linkers and the move towards an academic validation of a technology linker construct.