Technology Transfer Efforts Research Articles

Stimulating Government Technology Commercialization: A Marketing Perspective for Technology Transfer

ABSTRACT Federal legislation in the United States mandates that technology developed by federal government agencies must demonstrate socioeconomic benefits to justify the expenditure of funds as part of their fiduciary capacity. The mandate is operationalized by requiring federally funded agencies to seek socioeconomic benefits for the nation by developing programs designed to transfer government sponsored or developed technologies to the private sector. This mandate has led to substantial increase in the amount of technology transfer efforts by agencies, with limited results. Challenges include both the recruitment of firms to participation in technology transfer programs and weak efforts by recruited firms to fully commercialize products. This article posits that a marketing exchange approach to technology transfer will facilitate successful technology transfer and commercialization. A conceptual framework is presented from which to view government technology transfer efforts.

Transfer of environmentally sound technologies from japan to china

This article discusses the transfer of environmentally sound technology from Japan to developing countries, particularly China. The focus is on the main Japanese organizations involved in environmentally sound technology transfer, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and Japanese industry. The article also describes the main activities involved in Japan's technology transfer efforts, such as grants, loan, information exchange, and demonstration projects, with specific examples of Japan's technology transfer work in China. Finally, the paper analyzes the successes and challenges of various technology transfer mechanisms and provides insight on the direction of Japan's future environmentally sound technology transfer projects and programs in developing countries.

Funding the Commercialization of University Innovations

The results of a recently published survey of university technology transfer managers indicate that many US universities and academic research institutes are now experiencing increases in the licensing of their patented technologies to commercial entities, resulting in the creation of new companies offering high-paying jobs and significant potential for impact on the local and national economy. What distinguishes these universities and their technology transfer efforts appears to be a strong and continuing focus on the value of their technologies, a university policy which recognizes and encourages the entrepreneurial efforts of their faculty and, most importantly, the creation of, or access to, a business support system which understands how modern technology-based industries operate. This business support activity is most significant in identifying the needs of industry and developing an awareness of the importance of responsiveness in dealing with corporate leaders and decision makers. This paper looks at some of the more significant trends referred to above, outlines the characteristics of the more aggressive (and successful) technology transfer organizations, and discusses a variety of programmes which have been evolved to enhance or accelerate the commercialization of university developed innovations.

Implementation of ground treatment technology on US highways

Significant accomplishments have been achieved in the US Federal Highway Administration’s Geotechnical Research and Technology Transfer Program for ground treatment during the last ten years. Some of these major accomplishments are described in terms of programme objectives, scope and engineering approach, followed by a brief description of current and past activities. The programme was established to develop improved design and construction guidelines for some of the newer and innovative ground treatment techniques surfacing in the US from domestic and foreign sources. The development of improved and user friendly guidelines was also expected to facilitate the use and acceptance of these new techniques in the US highway industry. A discussion of technology transfer efforts is also included to promote better understanding of the practical advantages of using this technology to solve serious highway geotechnical problems.

DOD's environmental technology development

AbstractThis article discusses environmental technology developments in the Department of Defense (DOD) and how the use of innovative technologies can substantially reduce costs and increase the effectiveness of DOD environmental programs. DOD's overall strategy for environmental technology is to identify and establish priorities among users' needs and to implement environmental solutions through the development of technologies and their subsequent transfer to the user community. The authors examine the oversight and management of the Environmental Technology Development Process (ETDP) and the roles of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDRE) and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security (DUSD(ES)). The respective roles of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, and supporting efforts by the military components are reviewed. The authors also highlight a number of promising environmental technology initiatives and their potential benefits to DOD. The article concludes with a discussion of DOD technology transfer efforts and the mechanisms being used for the collection and dissemination of data on technology availability and performance—including relevant Web site and Internet addresses.

Industrial production of RHIC magnets

RHIC 8 cm aperture dipole magnets and quadrupole cold masses are being built for Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) by Northrop Grumman Corporation at a production rate of one dipole magnet and two quadrupole cold masses per day. This work was preceded by a lengthy technology transfer effort which is described elsewhere. This paper describes the tooling which is being used for the construction effort, the production operations at each workstation, and also the use of trend plots of critical construction parameters as a tool for monitoring performance in production. A report on the improvements to production labor since the start of the programs is also provided. The magnet and cold mass designs, and magnetic test results are described in more detail in a separate paper.

The Public-Private Partnership in the American State Economic Development Policies

This paper explores an important dimension in the evolution of state economic development strategies, namely the emergence of programmatic public-private partnerships. In contrast to project or task specific partnerships, these arrangements are noted for broad and long term goals aimed at enhancing state economic development capacity. In this paper, I focus on the social and political conditions which have shaped the form and practice of these partnerships. In order to provide some historical depth and substantive scope to this analysis, I have selected for study three states that have entered into distinct approaches: (1) public-private venture capital initiatives, (2) public-private technology development and transfer efforts, and (3) public-private economic capacity building through economic development planning and coordination arrangements. I find that economic conditions unique to each state helped to form distinguishing characteristics of partnerships. I also find important commonalities across the states in regard to the political context of partnership arrangements.

A partnership approach to successful, cost-effective technology transfer

The U.S. government, which funds virtually all types of basic research and development, can maximize its investment and best support technology transfer by focusing on RD the selection of projects that will produce research and development results convertible to prototypes for testing in the end user’s environment; and the selection of projects that complement each other for building a critical mass of technology transfer from the bottom up. This type of approach utilizes the best attributes of each member of the technology partnership; focuses technology transfer efforts at the level of basic technology, where there is maximum flexibility and opportunity; and utilizes existing program funding to accomplish technology transfer objectives.

Technology Transfer: From Financial to Performance Auditing

Discusses the experiences of a technical adviser to an audit institution in the Middle East and a technology transfer initiative the adviser planned and implemented in that institution. Discusses the goals and objectives of the transfer effort and fully describes how the adviser carried out the audit technology transfer effort. Also relates specifically how the adviser assembled the training cadre that formed the nucleus of the performance audit unit established in the audit institution: the criteria developed for use in selecting the training cadre; rationale for criteria selection; application of the criteria. Describes how success was measured as well as the degree to which the author believes the technology transfer was successful.

Technology Transfer and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Library Network

The library network of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is composed of a Headquarters library, ten Regional libraries and fifteen specialized or scientific libraries located throughout the country. Technology transfer may be defined as "the use of technical knowledge in an area other than the one for which the research and development was originally performed." This article reviews the contributions of the network libraries and librarians to the Agency's technology transfer efforts. In doing so it highlights many of the special and unique collections and services of the network libraries.

Production of fall-planted cereals in Morocco and technology for its improvement

Production of fall-planted cereals in Morocco and technology for its improvement

Technology transfer: Institutions, models, and impacts on agriculture and rural life in the developing world

Technology transfer is a multi-level process of communication involving a variety of senders and receivers of ideas and materials. As a response to market failure, or as an effort to accelerate market-driven social change, technology transfer may combine public and private aparatus or rely solely on public institutional mechanisms to identify, develop, and deliver innovations and information. Technology transfer institutions include universities, government ministries, research institutes, and what may be termed the ‘project sector’. Four farm- and village-level change models are considered: traditional community development, adoption-diffusion, training and Visit Extension, and Farming Systems Research. The challenges to technology transfer efforts center on developing indigenous capacity to generate and adapt agricultural technology to local conditions. This is the primary objective of technology transfer in agriculture and the basis for advancing rural development.

Report on the Photovoltaic R&D Program in Hawaii

Photovoltaic systems provide one of the best options to generate energy in Hawaii, a state that is more than 90 percent dependent on imported oil for its energy supply. Hawaii's excellent year-round insolation rates will contribute to the success of solar energy projects. The Hawaii Natural Energy Institute's program to accelerate utilization of PV power in Hawaii has thus far consisted of a continuation of a 50-year data base of solar insolation; an experimental program with grid-connected residential PV systems; and public information dissemination on PV technology and performance. HNEI is now developing a program that includes: (1) compiling a solar data base that includes a full solar resource assessment, with spectral analysis and measurement of direct insolation, (2) tests of various PV devices relative to insolation; (3) test and evaluation of contemporary PV powered systems (e.g. water pumping, refrigeration, communication and stand-alone residential applications) under various tropical island conditions; and (4) a technology transfer effort aimed at Hawaii and other Pacific Basin islands, including cost-benefit and market analyses.

Factors influencing technology transfer

This paper treats technology transfer as primarily a communication activity. Barriers to technology transfer can be erected by (1) organizational structures which inhibit the flow of communication between different groups; (2) the technology imposing specialized knowledge on the people who work with it; and, (3) the individuals themselves who have cultural biases which inhibit communication with people from different professional and experiential backgrounds. Some of these barriers can be overcome by creating small cross-organizational groups or partnerships, by increasing exposure to the technology, by rewarding joint work and by promoting people who are willing to champion technology transfer efforts within a corporation.

Technology transfer: A look at the federal sector

An important resource in the search for solutions to serious issues confronting the United States is the science and technology which result from Federally funded research and development. To obtain the optimum return on this significant investment requires that the resultant technology be adapted for secondary utilization and/or be transferred to primary and secondary users. This article describes the magnitude and scope of Federally sponsored research and development and describes the major Federal technology transfer efforts. While present technology transfer efforts, mostly passive, are necessary, there is need for more active methods. The Federal government is seeking ways to improve its technology transfer effort. General agreement on the following actions appears to exist: Stronger support by Federal research and development management, and increased commitment of personnel and funding to the Federal technology transfer effort.

Low‐Rise Timber Buildings Subjected to Seismic, Wind, and Snow Loads

Wood-frame buildings have generally performed well when subjected to extreme wind, seismic, or snow loads. Some of this performance is attributed to the material characteristics of the wood itself and some to the redundance in structural assembly. Failures, however, have occurred. Not all damage can be eliminated, but much could be avoided or minimized based on past observations. The objective of this paper is to look at past common failures and their causes. A main observation is that marginally engineered or nonengineered structures performed worse than engineered structures. Connection or anchorage failures between major components were commonplace. Engineered details of joints are available. The primary conclusion is that a technology transfer effort is required to incorporate engineered features in more wood-frame buildings to reduce many of the commonly observed failures in natural disasters.

Spruce Budworm Technology Transfer Program for the Lake States Region: a Case Study

The Spruce Budworm Technology Transfer Program for the Lake States Region was part of the Canada-United States Spruce Budworms Program. The goal of our technology transfer project was to provide land managers in the Lake States with pest management information on the spruce budworm. We summarize our technology transfer program, give examples of the development of four information packages, and discuss important factors that help technology transfer efforts in forest pest management.

Dynamic System Response Technology Transfer Via Computer Modeling

Traditionally the mechanical engineering design area of the mechanical engineering discipline has concerned itself with static design concepts. Recently, many university mechanical engineering curricula have placed a dynamics sequence in the mechanical design course path. This has had two results. First, the former graduates having little background in dynamic design concepts need to have a technology transfer effort focused upon them. Second, the current university student finds the understanding of highly mathematical, multiple degree-of-freedom models of real systems almost incomprehensible. This paper presents a proposed partial solution to the technology transfer problems above. A computer modeling program has been developed that computes the steady-state response of a multi-degree-of-freedom system. Magnitude and phase of the response is graphically presented for combinations of masses, stiffnesses, viscous dampers, and/or structural dampers in any interconnection scheme. The algorithm has been used to model real-world engineering problems that would normally elude the undergraduate student and many practicing engineers. These same modeling efforts can be used to stimulate the practicing engineer to relate to these solutions and their real-world significance.

Cost-sharing — A necessary component for successful technology transfer

The general objective of this paper is to propose the establishment of a federal cost-sharing policy for reducing risk in transferring technology from the R&D stage to commercialization. Minimization of this risk barrier is expected to encourage diverse groups to participate in technology transfer. Section II focuses on specific barriers that impede technology transfer efforts and it presents policy options to minimize identified barriers. Section III introduces objectives of cost-sharing experiments from which cost-sharing policies can be formulated. In addition, we also identify specific cost-sharing participation criteria and success variables for the policy.

Attitudes Toward Computer Software and Its Exchange in the Pressure Vessel Industry

A survey of computer software use in the pressure vessel industry was conducted by means of a questionnaire that reached 707 active professionals in the industry. 249 filled-in questionnaires were returned. These were analyzed by standard statistical techniques in order to determine the following: the respondents’ background, the extent of their involvement with computer software in pressure vessel analysis and design, their attitudes toward computer software and their attitudes toward the creation of an active technology transfer effort for that software. The study verifies that a generally positive attitude toward software and its exchange exists among those who actually write and/or use computers. However, it was found that supervisors of those who write and/or use software would be unwilling to share most their programs with an active technology transfer effort for software.