Promote Technology Transfer Research Articles

Do as I Say (Not as I Did): Putative Intellectual Property Lessons for Emerging Economies from the Not so Long Past of the Developed Nations

Uncompensated intellectual property technology transfers, piracy, or just plain old fashioned free-riding, by most developing countries, especially the Least Developed Countries, is the paradigmatic example of “he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening m[ine].” It often benefits the developing country without undue or any costs on the rights holders in developed countries. It may ameliorate suffering, promote development, and facilitate the ultimate creation of new markets where eventually the rights holders may exploit their intellectual property for a fair(er) price. One of the intended consequences of the WTO and the TRIPS Agreement was to close this route to development. Yet, the WTO and TRIPS Agreement’s promises of promoting technology transfer did not provide an effective alternative route to development. The new purported road to development developed countries granting incentives to promote technology transfer has been large is so far leading nowhere. Consequently, developing nations must once again look to the historic role-models of countries that have successfully developed and follow these well worn paths. Unless developed nations are prepared to make a significant financial commitment to economic development. This article presupposed a utilitarian justification for intellectual property protection, and concludes that properly managed piracy in the developing world does not affect the practical incentives provided by intellectual property rights in the developed world and its markets. If the developing country's domestic-use market can be properly differentiated or segmented from the export, gray market, or parallel import markets in developed countries then developing countries may follow the rich example of the developed world and enjoy a sustained period of an intellectual property rights subsidy without affecting intellectual property's utilitarian incentive structure. A period of intellectual property piracy seems to be a natural developmental stage on the road to becoming a developed nation, and once those goals have been met, the former outlaw pirate nation then becomes a zealous advocate for strong intellectual property protection internationally and domestically thus making strict adherence the norm. In the sum, this article merely encourages developed countries and rights holders in developed countries to be tolerant of a limited scope of intellectual property piracy in developing countries for just a little while longer.

Patent analysis for promoting technology transfer in multi-technology industries: the Korean aerospace industry case

With the increasing importance of technology, the efficiency of R&D investment is becoming a critical factor to an organisation’s success. As a result, many studies have carried out to create useful information to support various decision-makings faced during R&D planning but few efforts were made to discuss technology transferability in creating the information. Technology transferability can be an important factor to increase the efficiency of R&D investment especially in a multi-technology industry, where a compound of several industries produces a variety of components and systems. Therefore, this study purposes to develop a systematic method to analyse the transferability of technology, aiming to facilitate R&D spill-over. For the purpose of analysis, patent data from USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) was adopted and patent citation analysis applied, which shows the relationship between technologies and industries as quantitative measures. The research result then was applied to Korean aerospace industry and its utility verified. The suggested method is expected to be used in understanding technology characteristics and making the most use of R&D outputs by promoting technology transfer in multi-technology industries.

A knowledge-based typology of university spin-offs in the context of regional economic development

Drawing on the literature pertaining to the role universities play in promoting technology transfer, this paper develops an insightful conceptualization of spin-off processes, and applies it to a current regional case study. The suggested typology of university spin-off/start-up firms is based on several variables, including the type of university sponsorship, university involvement in firm formation, the character of knowledge applied, and co-localization of the founders. The empirical case study is used to demonstrate the usefulness of this approach in analyzing spin-off firms, and their dynamics. The study is based on interviews conducted with university spin-offs/start-ups in the information technology (IT) sector located in the Kitchener and Guelph metropolitan areas. This region, which is home to the University of Waterloo – one of Canada’s premier science and technology universities – has experienced an impetus of spin-off processes originating from university research dating back to the 1970s. The results of our analysis expose several trends: Sponsored spin-offs are largely the result of particular university research projects, and apply specific knowledge inputs in the development of their initial core technology. Unsponsored spin-offs, which find their foundation in decentralized idea development outside of the university setting, almost entirely rely on generic broad knowledge bases for the development of innovative products and services, which have enabled the firm-formation process. Overall, it is surprising that even firms that have received some form of university support described the role the University of Waterloo had in their start-up process as marginal. The dynamic research approach applied in this study, which outlines the university’s changing role over time and the regional dynamics associated with spin-off firms, further demonstrates the potential of our typology. As such, our typology of university-related start-up/spin-off firms is designed to support studies concerned with the wider impact of universities on technology transfer and regional development.

Technology transfer from universities and public research institutes to firms in Brazil: what is transferred and how the transfer is carried out

This article presents an analysis of the technology transfer process from universities and public research institutes to firms in Brazil. In particular, this study is concerned with the role of patents in this process. Although there is a certain enthusiasm in promoting technology transfer offices to manage university patents, the importance of patents to the technology transfer process is not yet well understood in literature. We conducted a survey with leaders of research groups from universities and public research institutes that developed and transferred technology to firms. The results show that patents are one of the least-used channels of technology transfer by universities and public research institutes. But the importance of the channels varies according to the type of technology transferred and to the firms' industry.

Growth of Industry Clusters and Innovation: Lessons from Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park

The success of technology parks in promoting technology transfer and attracting clusters of highly innovative firms has motivated countries from around the world in an attempt to promote regional development, including the People’s Republic of China. Due to its similarities with other formerly planned economies undergoing transition towards market economies, the Chinese model of technology parks has been closely watched and emulated by other transitional economies. However, despite its economic significance, such development has been largely ignored in organizational research. In this study, I investigate a specific example of an industry cluster in China, the Beijing Zhongguancun (ZGC) Science Park, which has seen the largest cluster of semiconductor, computer, and telecommunication firms in China, consisting of both domestic and foreign invested firms. I examine the origin and growth of industry cluster in a traditionally heavily regulated economy and region, its role in promoting technology transfer and innovation, and challenges firms face in the future. I close by proposing some issues for future research.

The role of intermediaries on technological risk management and business development performance in Korea

This paper examines the strategic use of intermediaries by companies to better meet their technology needs from the resource-based theory and network theory perspectives. The results of this study are based on a sample of Korean IT companies and indicate the particular importance of cooperation with government support organizations and public R&D institutions in building relational assets. Intermediaries played a crucial role in enabling and facilitating joint development projects and promoting technology transfer among the companies in general.The results of this study suggest that intermediaries, as they are linked to other organizations within networks and are centrally situated within those networks where information and resource flow, can coordinate and control the exchange of information and resources within networks and enjoy timely and privileged access to such information, giving them the means to expand their strategic social capital.

Business Incubators

Business incubators can help young firms to survive and grow during their start-up years, and can play a key role in the economic development of a community or region. In developing countries, like Kuwait and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, business incubators can be particularly valuable in helping to develop local economies, promote technology transfer, create new enterprises and generate jobs. There is potentially a wealth of information available about the characteristics of and services offered by business incubators in the US and other countries, which can be used to inform the development of incubator programmes within these countries. To tap into this information, an Internet-based survey was conducted with a sample of business incubators worldwide. The survey results are used to make recommendations about how to maximize the success of incubators, including matching services offered to the needs of clients and involving a range of community stakeholders in the development of their programmes. A number of options are proposed for developing and expanding the business incubator concept in Kuwait and the GCC member states.

Maybe they can? University technology transfer offices as regional growth engines

We focus on the interdependence between regional conditions and the design of university technology transfer offices (TTOs). The traditional activities of TTOs range from identification of research results from the university setting and transferring them to the market. At least three factors are needed in the vicinity of a TTO; active university and researchers, industrial absorptive capacity and investors. Although the expected role of TTO is to bridge these different factors and act as the glue of the process, it could only be true when TTOs are able to substitute or provide replacements for missing pieces in the technology transfer process. Passive TTOs may fail in their mission to promote technology transfer. By taking a pro-active role in their region's knowledge-based infrastructure development, 'valleys of death' may be crossed. In this paper, we aim to understand how variation in regions and TTOs influence the technology transfer process. We suggest a redesign of the activies to assist in putting pre-conditions into place to facilitate regional development.

Climate Change: National and Local Policy Opportunities in China

Climate Change poses a wide range of potentially very severe threats in China. This aggravates the existing vulnerability of China and is one of the big challenges faced by the Chinese government. Adaptation programmes and projects are being developed and implemented at national and local level. As China is engaged in heavy investment in infrastructure development as a consequence of the rapid process of development and urbanization, mainstreaming adaptation into such development process is a priority for China. China has also made positive contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through participations in the CDM under the Kyoto Protocol framework. Although mitigation is not a priority at national or local level, it has been integrated into national and local development plans explicitly. This paper addresses the following questions: What is the policy space for climate change mitigation and adaptation policy at national and local level and what is already being done? The three case studies at local level - Beijing, Guangdong and Shanghai - presented here, highlight the local benefits in terms of local pollution of integrating mitigation policies into local development. However, financial constraints usually prevent such a positive policy integration. National policies and international cooperation aiming at bridging the financial gap and promoting technology transfer would help in integrating local pollution control and mitigation efforts in China today.

Emerging Issues in Economic Development Policy and Technology Incubators: The Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies Experience

This article explores the recent efforts of the University of Vermont to promote technology transfer activities and a technology incubator as a way to stimulate job creation and increase the flow of new, targeted technologies from the University to the marketplace. Specifically, the article examines the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) at the University of Vermont and its role in trying to play a crucial role in facilitating economic growth. Special attention is given to how technology enterprise development and economic development strategies should be custom designed to be congruent with the unique strengths (and weaknesses) of the regional economy. In addition to a literature review pertinent to these issues, a survey and interview data were collected from the key actors associated with VCET. A discussion of broader policy lessons that can be drawn from this case study is explored.

Bio-energy trade and regional development: the case of bio-ethanol in southern Africa

This paper analyses the prospects for international bio-energy trade within the context of regional integration and sustainable development in the region of southern Africa, focusing on the particular case of bio-ethanol made from sugar cane and sweet sorghum. A number of options are considered for expanded production of and trade in bio-ethanol as a transport fuel for blending with petrol. The implications for alternative development paths and regional cooperation strategies are discussed and compared. Transportation costs appear to be small compared to production costs, although the higher cost of shipment by land implies a need for regional coordination strategies. The availability of suitable feedstocks in the region would have to increase significantly in order to achieve economies of scale. There appear to be valuable opportunities for creating new export markets, although international cooperation will be needed for reducing import tariffs and addressing non-tariff trade barriers as well as promoting technology transfer and capacity-building.

Crank up the Math and Science Engines, Here Comes Economic Development

IN 2005, a growing number of states addressed the issue of economic development. Was it the tough state budget conditions from years past or the threat of declining rural populations that drove them to do so? Or were the states motivated by regional policy forums, such as the one described in If We Don't Build It, Who Will Come? Higher State Workforce, and Economic which appeared in the Western Policy Exchanges newsletter? Or were the states spurred to act by reports like Eric Hanushek's Why Quality Matters in Education, in the June 2005 issue of Finance & Development, which presents data showing that a higher-quality education leads to greater lifetime earnings for individuals and asserts that societies with more educated work forces can expect faster economic growth? Perhaps the impetus came out of predictions from reports such as the Jobs for the Future 2005 release, Building Skills, Increasing Economic Vitality: A Handbook of Innovative State Policies, which says that globalization requires economies to compete through innovation and quality rather than on the basis of cost. To do this, states need to be inventive in the way they train workers. Or maybe the increase in policies related to economic development in 2005 was informed by projections made in reports like As America Becomes More Diverse: The Impact of State Higher Education Inequality, by Patrick Kelly of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). Based on data reported by Kelly, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released a Policy Alert in November that highlights two facts: 1) the U.S. work force is becoming more diverse, and 2) the racial and ethnic groups that are the least educated are also the fastest growing. The NCHEMS report predicts that, if current population trends continue and states do not improve the education of all racial and ethnic groups, the skills of the work force and the personal incomes of U.S. residents will decline over the next two decades. (See profiles of 10 states at www.highereducation. org.) SPECIAL COUNCILS In Arizona, for example, the Governor's Council on Innovation and Technology was formed by executive order to work as a catalyst for new economic development strategies. The council is charged with 1) developing the framework and vision needed for Arizona to become a global leader in innovation and technology research and in product creation and development, 2) strengthening the state's infrastructure for innovation and technology, 3) evaluating the capacity for capital formation and recommending strategies that support global competitiveness, 4) promoting technology transfer, 5) inspiring partnerships between the state's businesses and university researchers, and 6) creating and maintaining an active marketplace of quality jobs. The Oregon Innovation Council, established by S.B. 838, is meant to provide advice on issues related to 1) promoting agreements between public and private postsecondary educational institutions and private industry that increase technology transfer and the commercialization of research, 2) promoting investment in specialized research facilities and signature research centers in sectors where Oregon has a distinct or emerging advantage for creating new products and businesses, 3) stimulating seed and start-up capital investment and entrepreneurial capacity that will promote economic growth, 4) developing the entrepreneurial and management capacity critical to the competitiveness of Oregon industries in rapidly growing global markets, and 5) identifying workforce issues for critical occupations, including but not limited to scientific, engineering, information technology, and business management occupations. The Oregon Innovation Council is also supposed to develop a state plan for innovation and economic competitiveness and to advise other state councils that are dealing with engineering and technology industries and community development. …

Implications of international technology transfer benchmarks for developing countries

International technology transfer benchmark data can be used to understand the implications of promoting technology transfer in higher education institutions in developing countries. While the data indicates that the average return, after 810 years of activity, is around 1 to 2 per cent of the annual research expenditure, the returns are, however, characterised by high uncertainty and variability. An understanding of the nature of the returns and the dynamics of the technology transfer process is necessary for institutional and public sector managers to manage this emerging discipline effectively. Unrealistic expectations of the returns can lead to dysfunctional policy decisions. The data presented in this article, together with a dynamic model, provides background to, and an aid to understanding, the issues, so as to promote better decision-making.

Technology Innovation and Development

The Bayh–Dole Act has been remarkably successful in promoting the transfer of technology in the USA from federally funded research labs to the private sector. Although other governments are now looking to Bayh–Dole as a model, most of this interest has been limited to developed countries. This article examines the potential benefits of the Bayh–Dole framework for developing countries – both for local industries and to generate revenue for local non-profit research labs. It also proposes initiatives that the USA should undertake to help developing countries to establish the rules and institutional mechanisms necessary to promote technology transfer in their own countries.

Growth of industry clusters and innovation: Lessons from Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park

The success of technology parks in promoting technology transfer and attracting clusters of highly innovative firms has motivated countries from around the world in an attempt to promote regional development, including the People's Republic of China. Due to its similarities with other formerly planned economies undergoing transition towards market economies, the Chinese model of technology parks has been closely watched and emulated by other transitional economies. However, despite its economic significance, such development has been largely ignored in organizational research. In this study, I investigate a specific example of an industry cluster in China, the Beijing Zhongguancun (ZGC) Science Park, which has seen the largest cluster of semiconductor, computer, and telecommunication firms in China, consisting of both domestic and foreign invested firms. I examine the origin and growth of industry cluster in a traditionally heavily regulated economy and region, its role in promoting technology transfer and innovation, and challenges firms face in the future. I close by proposing some issues for future research.

The Curious Saga of Congress, the NIH, and Conflict of Interest

Depending on who you read, either the campus of the National Institutes of Health will soon be a ghost town as staff flee in the great Bethesda brain drain of '05, or Congress is finally teaching the research cowboys a lesson in respect for the American public. Lost in most analysis of the NIH's new conflict of interest rules, though, is an instructive story about how policy (at least sometimes) takes shape. Let's start with the gist of the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on February 3: no consulting, teaching, speaking, writing, or editing for compensation for a substantially affected organization (that is to say, for a pharmaceutical or biotechnology firm); also no selling or promoting products or services of such an organization; and no holding financial interest in one. And no acceptance of honors or awards valued in excess of $200 (although exceptions will be made for certain awards, like, oh, the Nobel prize). All NIH employees must promptly terminate existing relationships and divest themselves of any proscribed financial holdings, with some provision made toward meliorating potential tax consequences. (1) The regulations are somewhat more nuanced than this, but frankly, not much. The more important point is that the NIH has come full circle: Twenty years ago, the NIH banned outside activities. Over the past decade, it permitted some relationships with industry and managed conflicts of interest through disclosure and prior approval of outside activities. Now, having paused briefly over the more modest reforms proposed by its own Blue Ribbon Panel on Conflict of Interest Policies, banned consulting for senior staff, and then voluntarily imposed a moratorium to allow careful deliberation that lasted barely four of its proposed twelve months, the NIH has adopted a blanket regulatory prohibition that applies to all employees. The transformation was driven by a series of stories in the Los Angeles Times about impertinently lucrative consulting arrangements and the demands of an outraged Congress for an inquiry into the violation of public trust at the nation's premier research establishment. The Office of Government Ethics (OGE) undertook a fresh review of NIH policy and practices, as did the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services and the (newly renamed) Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2) The deeper people probed, the nastier the picture. Everywhere you looked were gross failures to enforce and to comply with existing agency policy: A senior Alzheimer's researcher accepted more than $500,000 in consulting and speaking fees from a drug company with interest in his research, without reporting or seeking prior approval of the relationship. (3) A transfusion expert accepted $240,000 in fees and $76,000 in stock options from companies developing blood products. (4) More than 130 consulting arrangements seem never to have been reported as required by NIH policy. (5) But zoom out to bring more of the context into the frame, and the picture grows more complicated. In the far background there is Congress's broad, long-standing interest in promoting technology transfer to bring biomedical advances to patients more quickly. Technology transfer encourages collaboration with industry, as reflected in the Bayh-Dole Act and legislation enabling Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs). In the immediate background are statutory and other constraints on the authority of the NIH--or any federal agency--to shape agency-specific policy regarding employees. (The Blue Ribbon Panel rehearsed constraints on NIH hiring practices and salaries, including the $200,000 per annum salary cap imposed by its parent agency, DHHS. (6)) And in the foreground are the Standards of Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch administered by OGE, criminal conflict of interest statutes, and case law that limits agencies' authority to impose still broader restrictions that might infringe on federal employees' fundamental rights. …

Intellectual property conundrum for the biological sciences.

Policy regarding academically generated biomedical intellectual property (IP) has been shaped by two important events: the Vannevar Bush report to then President Roosevelt in 1945 and the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. This policy, which vests the intellectual property produced from federally funded biomedical research from the government to the academic institution, was designed to promote technology transfer and thus promote the health of the U.S. economy. However, the policy has led to significant challenges, particularly in implementation. Here it is argued that the difficulties are due to differences in the structure of motivations between biomedical scientists, institutional officials, and private sector entrepreneurs. Understanding these differences may lead to a review of policy with the goal of enhancing technology transfer for the future.

IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Atmaram H. SoniDr. Atmaram H. Soni passed away at age 64 on February 8, 2000, from a massive heart attack. He is survived by his wife, Ila, eldest daughter, Bina, son, Robert, daughter-in-law, Rachita Shri Chandak, granddaughter, Devika, daughter, Lisa, and son-in-law, Matthew Adams. Dr. Soni was born in India and emigrated to the U.S. to attend the University of Michigan in 1957, where he received his BS and MS degrees. He went on to receive his PhD degree from Oklahoma State University. An ASME Fellow, he was a recipient of the prestigious Mechanism Award from the ASME Mechanisms Conference. He was appointed Regent Professor at Oklahoma State University and held the titles of Ohio Eminent Scholar and L. W. Scott Alter Professor at the University of Cincinnati since 1987. He established the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Processes at UC and served as its director. He was an outstanding educator, researcher, and leading industrial consultant. His research in kinematics, bioengineering, manufacturing, and robotics was respected internationally. He authored a book, edited several monographs and proceedings, and published numerous technical papers in conferences and professional journals. During his tenure at Oklahoma State University, he established mechanism, bioengineering, and robotics research programs and laboratories. At the University of Cincinnati, he also established a highly productive research center for advanced manufacturing technology. During the course of his career he oversaw the graduation of over 170 graduate students. Dr. Soni was an excellent communicator, a man with vision, and a leader in the mechanism and robotics research community. In addition, he was respected for his contribution to the mechanism and robotics research industry, as well as his service to city, state, and federal government. He initiated and organized the ASME Flexible Assembly Conference and established the biennial OSU Applied Mechanisms Conference in 1969, which became the Applied Mechanisms and Robotics Conference in 1989. He was actively in charge of the conferences for the past 30 years. He held numerous seminars and workshops for industries, professors, and government agencies to promote technology transfer. He also held retraining programs for unemployed engineers and even developed and sponsored programs for disadvantaged high school students. Dr. Soni was a man of compassion. Many young scholars will remember his encouragement and kindness. To him, problems and solutions emerged simultaneously and work was just as good as entertainment. Meditation was his path to relaxation and creativity. Painting was his medium for expressing his love to the family.

The federal role in drug abuse technology transfer: a history and perspective

The past 30 years have seen a focus on substance abuse research in association with the creation of federal agencies specifically mandated to guide that effort. While research has been well supported and largely productive, there has been increasing concern with the slow pace of adoption of the findings from that research. The history of those efforts suggests a long-standing concern with knowledge development, and a continuing reliance on print media to achieve knowledge application. Nonetheless, evidence from other human service fields, and increasingly from the substance abuse field, indicates interpersonal strategies are dramatically more effective in achieving the individual and organizational behavior change needed to achieve technology transfer. Argument is made that the federal government remains the best, if not the only resource for promoting technology transfer. A paradigm is described to further federal efforts in this area, and structural elements suggested for the achievement of technology transfer goals.

How Do University Inventions Get Into Practice?

Jeannette Colyvas • Michael Crow • Annetine Gelijns • Roberto Mazzoleni Richard R. Nelson • Nathan Rosenberg • Bhaven N. Sampat Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 Office of the Executive Vice Provost, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 INCHOIR, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 Department of Economics and Geography, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York 11594 School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027 Department of Economics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 colyvas@leland.stanford.edu • mc71@columbia.edu • acp10@columbia.edu • ecorzm@mail1.hofstra.edu rrn2@columbia.edu • nate@leland.stanford.edu • bhaven.sampat@pubpolicy.gatech.edu