Technology Transfer Infrastructure Research Articles

Assessment of Business Infrastructure in 2018

The aim of the research is to assess development of entrepreneurship infrastructure of various countries according to opinions of experts from these countries. The elements were: knowledge and technology transfer infrastructure; commercial and professional infrastructure; production and information infrastructure; market infrastructure; institutions providing easy access to existing markets; social and cultural infrastructure. The research is based on methods of economic analysis, analogies, generalizations, classification, system, and structural approaches. Information from the Global entrepreneurship monitoring project report for 54 countries was used as input data. The estimation of the distribution of indicator values on the effectiveness of the six main infrastructure elements of business development reflecting the opinions of experts from these countries with the use of mathematic models of normal distribution. During the study we determined the average indicator values characterizing experts ' opinions on the effectiveness of each of the six key infrastructure elements of business development on a scale of ten; the intervals of their changes characteristic for the majority of countries were also considered. New knowledge about the effectiveness of infrastructure elements of business development in various countries has been obtained.

Knowledge and technology transfer networking platforms in modern research universities

Innovative development of Ukraine is possible due to the introduction of an effective mechanism for the promotion of commercially attractive scientific ideas and developments, which are produced at universities, into the domestic and international markets. It is extremely difficult for research universities to negotiate the transfer of their developments due to the lack of an extensive technology transfer infrastructure where an information system would be in place to exchange technological requests and proposals. The authors demonstrate a modern toolkit for the transfer of knowledge and technology, which is actively used by the international academic community and contributes to the consideration of modern specifics in the organization of innovative marketing in research universities. In the article, the authors analyze the role of social and communication tools, namely media and online social platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube, or other communication search platforms, including Enterprise Europe Network in the technological transfer of world research universities and Ukrainian university practice. The dominance of positive features in the use of media tools for technology transfer proves its viability for the Ukrainian market. Using the tools of media sector it was proposed to develop a modern strategy for commercializing the results of innovative activities of research universities. The article offers considering the process of bringing to commercially attractive results of experimental research at universities based on the methodology of network marketing and education.

Technology transfer and agricultural mechanization in Tanzania: institutional adjustments to accommodate emerging economy innovations

ABSTRACTRecent economic growth in Tanzania has been biased towards industry and services, denying farmers potential distributional benefits. Correcting this anomaly requires in part appropriate technologies to raise agricultural productivity. Attempts to either develop local tools or import advanced country technologies had limited benefits. Recent studies suggest that for poor producers in Tanzania, mechanization technologies from emerging economies are more appropriate in relation to their production characteristics. However, being locked-in advanced country technologies means both market and non-market institutions responsible for mechanization technology transfer in Tanzania have evolved to suite machines from the EU, Japan and USA. To accommodate the new market dynamic, where attention is shifting to emerging economies, modifications to the current technology transfer infrastructure are required. Using firm, farm and government level data on importation, distribution, usage and maintenance of tractors in Tanzania, this paper argues that the potential benefits of emerging economy tractors can be greatly enhanced if calculated attempts are made to modify the existing technology transfer and diffusion process.

The development of a generic framework for the implementation of concurrent engineering

Implementing CE successfully requires a huge cultural change in an organisation. This paper presents a generic concurrent engineering (CE) implementation support framework, how it was derived and why the PACE project consortium considers that it encapsulates the pertinent issues of change towards CE. PACE - a 'Practical Approach to Concurrent Engineering' - is an EC project consisting of a pan–European consortium. Its aim is to provide an holistic technology transfer infrastructure enabling the effective change and improvement of present engineering practices towards CE principles. The methodology behind it is generic, but designed to be adaptable to specific company needs. It is especially aimed at showing how to implement CE in an ordinary company i.e. not using a 'super–motivated' project team. It is based on the steps of change management in the specific context of CE and provides a structure for implementation, drawing on literature and experiences of the project's industrial partners.

Global technology transfer infrastructure is maturing

That new approach to Web search became the foundation for Google. Google's technology lets people work more quickly and efficiently from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. Google might be the ultimate example of government-funded research that hits the jackpot. However, even smaller advancements in government-funded research can yield significant dividends for the researchers' institutions. These dividends can also extend to the companies that partner with the researchers or that might be spun off from such research, to those companies' employees, and to those who take advantage of end products based on that research

Computer Based Initiatives for Implementing and Sustaining Concurrent Engineering

The concepts and principles of Concurrent Engineering (CE) have been around for over a decade. In fact the literature is full of examples, studies and surveys advocating the potential accruable benefits of implementing CE. However, how to introduce it in a guided and holistic manner has received lesser attention. This paper attempts to fill this gap by reporting on a 3.5-year research study exploring and investigating the pertinent issues for CE. The research project was called PACE - a ‘Practical Approach to Concurrent Engineering’, and was a European Commission funded project consisting of a pan-European consortium. Its aim was to provide a holistic technology transfer infrastructure enabling the effective change and improvement of present engineering practices towards CE principles. The paper explores these issues based on three research questions posed at the outset of this study. The paper is split into four major sections. The first introductory part provides the rationale for this research study in terms of motivation and why the need for such a project by reviewing past studies and developments in the CE domain. This section is followed by a conceptual model which forms the basis of a CE knowledge platform. The third section reports on a set of complementary decision support tools for CE in practice. It is then argued that implementing CE successfully requires a huge cultural change in an organisation. A generic implementation support framework forms the basis for the final section before the concluding summary. Two case studies are used to illustrate the implementation of research findings and developments in multinational companies.

Technology-based regional development policy : case study of Taedok Science Town , Taejon Metropolitan City, Korea

This paper examines the roles that technopolis play in the promotion of city development through technology advancement with particular reference to the Taedok Science Town (TST). Systematic policies to raise collaboration between high-tech venture businesses and university-industry are also reviewed. In particular, the experience of the TST shows the impact Technology Transfer Infrastructure like Technology Business Incubators provided by universities and research institutes have on the expansion of high tech venture business. The systematic approach for nurtur ing the development of venture businesses from the initial stage to the mature stage is one of the crucial policies that enabled the successful development of high-tech venture firms in the TST.

Technology Transfer in the Transit Industry

The unprecedented advances taking place in the technology industries (computer, electronics, telecommunications) can benefit the transit industry by enabling safer, cleaner, and more reliable transit vehicles; easier maintenance; better customer service; and faster and more efficient scheduling and operations. Without an effective technology transfer process, however, the technologies may not reach the proper audience in the transit organization, or they may fail to elicit the appropriate response from transit staff. The two key elements of successful technology transfer in the transit industry are discussed—effective technology transfer infrastructure and technology transfer (T2) agents. Effective technology transfer infrastructure consists of an organizational culture that is open and flexible, a comprehensive evaluation mechanism, an efficient transfer design, and an effective training program. T2 agents are individuals or organizations that bring new technologies and information to agencies, which then can transform the technology and information into useful products, processes, or programs. Also discussed are intra- and interagency barriers, such as strict adherence to rule books and bureaucratic organizational structures, and examples are provided of how some agencies are addressing these problems.

Technology management in technology-contingent SMEs

This paper is concerned with technology management in the kind of small and medium-sized enterprises which traditionally have taken a passive attitude towards technological change. Based on data collected in a survey study on technological networking in a European border region, the paper shows that enterprises of this type differ significantly from small technology-intensive enterprises in the ways in which they acquire knowledge about new technologies. Small "technology-contingent" enterprises appear to be less well networked to the outside world than technologically more active enterprises. Some conclusions are drawn on the use of technology transfer infrastructures for these enterprises.

The emerging role of lean infrastructures in technology transfer: The case of the Innovation Plaza project

Technology transfer is becoming a critical factor in determining the speed of technological progress both of a geographical area and of industries, and in playing a critical role in long-term economic growth. For this reason, there has been a proliferation of infrastructures aimed at facilitating the diffusion of innovation both among firms and between universities and firms. Most of these structures, however, are characterised by a high percentage of fixed resources, in terms of physical assets and employees. This paper demonstrates the emerging role of more ‘flexible’ infrastructures, both as direct providers of services and as coordinators of existing, specialised infrastructures. The paper is structured into two sections. The first section presents a theoretical framework illustrating the different possible technology transfer patterns (in terms of kinds of source, recipients, characteristics of transferred knowledge, as well as infrastructures that should be involved). This variety of processes (each of them implying distinctive competences) inevitably leads to a proliferation of organisations, which seems to be the natural response to the need for tailored solutions. However, such structures often face serious cost troubles, mainly due to a lack of a critical mass of demand. Moreover, even in the presence of a sufficient level of demand, the ever-growing dynamics of innovation should dissuade one from allocating dedicated resources to very specialised support infrastructures, since the relative importance of the different technological competences changes rapidly and new knowledge is continuously required. What emerges from these considerations is the need for ‘lean’ infrastructures, characterised by a low level of fixed resources and hence by a high capacity to adapt to sudden changes in the environmental context. The second section of the paper describes how these considerations have been used for the design of a specific technology transfer infrastructure in the biomedical industry, called the experts' network. This initiative is part of Innovation Plaza, a joint project of Politecnico di Milano and the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, aimed at facilitating the flow of scientific knowledge from Politecnico University (and its associate research centres) to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in Lombardia. The objective of the experts' network is to provide SMEs with some preferential gateways to reach the world of academic research and gather useful information. The paper ends with an illustration of the early outcome of this particular initiative.

Technology transfer infrastructures: Some lessons from experiences in Europe, the US and Japan

In many regions in Europe, the US and East Asia technology transfer infrastructures have been set up to support endogenous potential by encouraging the diffusion of new technologies from higher education institutes (HEIs) and large firms to small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). However, many studies have shown that business partners such as customers and suppliers are the most important partners for the stimulation of the innovativeness of SMEs. HEIs and transfer agencies are given a very low rank in these studies. These results have led to doubts about the usefulness of these institutions for regional economic development. However, some transfer infrastructures in Europe, the US and Japan have been partially able to circumvent deficiencies of traditional transfer agencies. The article aims at learning from experiences of these infrastructures that support the linkage of HEIs and public research establishments with SMEs. The main three research questions are. What are the deficiencies of most transfer agencies? Which transfer infrastructures can be described that partially circumvent these deficiencies? Which common characteristics do these transfer infrastructures share with each other? Agencies of these transfer infrastructures work with a proactive, personal and demand‐orientated approach. They employ consultants with engineering experience in SMEs who are able to help firms to define their problems. Furthermore, most of the infrastructures have long‐term financial backing from governments, which is important to build up a trust relation with firms in the region.

Establishing technology transfer infrastructure as a strategy for promoting manufacturing automation in Taiwan

To enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector, the Taiwan government is establishing technology transfer infrastructure as a strategy for promoting automation. This paper first reviews the status of the automation capability, then discusses the role of government in shaping the industry from the perspectives of four determinants: firm strategy and structure, factor creation, demand condition, and related and supporting industries. Detailed strategies and implementation plans are discussed in the context of the four determinants. An example of the programme result is presented. The objectives of year 2000 are stated in the Conclusions section.

European technology policy evolution: convergence towards SMEs and regional technology transfer

The paper briefly maps trends in public policies towards stimulating industrial technological change, from the largely uncoordinated ‘science policies’ and ‘industrial policies’ of the 1960s; to the more integrated ‘innovation policies’ of the 1970s; to the collaborative, pre-competitive research-based ‘technology policies’ of the 1980s. These changes were accompanied by increasing collaboration between government departments involved in the formulation and implementation of S&T policies. More recently within Europe (and beyond), policy emphasis has been on the technological strengthening of the so-called development regions, largely through the enhancement and creation of regional technology transfer infrastructures, and on intensifying efforts to assist the innovatory endeavours of SMEs. National programmes within Europe have been paralleled by programmes of the European Commission in Brussels.