Where technology transfer research originated and where it is going: a quantitative analysis of literature published between 1980 and 2015

Abstract

This study aims to identify both where technology transfer research originated and where it is going. A quantitative approach was adopted in this study to observe the trends from an objective perspective. To do this, longitudinal bibliographic data of journal papers describing technology transfer from 1980 to 2015 are collected. Topic modeling and co-authorship network analyses are then applied to classify topics and identify an evolution of research groups. First, the principal transfer agent is changed from governmental organizations to universities, as technology donors, while industry plays the role of technology recipients. Second, major technology fields that researchers have focused on follow socially attractive interests. Third, the scope of focus gradually moves from national level research or international transfers to organizational level research. In addition, technology transfer research seems to change from a technology transfer application to a dynamic technology transfer process. In addition, six topics are identified and further discussed to understand future research directions. The research findings are expected to help us understand research trends in technology transfer and, thus, are expected to provide valuable insights to researchers in this field and policy makers who are in charge of developing policies to support technology transfer.