Technology Transfer Projects Research Articles

An MBA capstone that's out of this world: Commercializing NASA patents

AbstractCapstone classes can help MBA programs achieve student learning goals and meet accreditation standards. However, such programs often fail to build the skills they are intended to develop. Technology transfer projects can be an effective way to build these skills while creating a positive economic impact. This article describes Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College's MBA program's integrative capstone experience that partners with NASA to allow student teams to commercialize unused or underutilized NASA patents to develop new products and create business startups using a 4Ps model. First, students examine Patents for intellectual property that could be transferred to new applications with commercial potential. Next, they develop a knowledge network of Partners who could assist them to commercialize the technology. Then, students identify Prospects for the proposed commercial use of the technology. Finally, they Package a newly developed, market‐ready product with strategy, financial, sales and marketing plans, and pitch these to angel investors who might fund the startup and assist them in starting the business. This article details the 20 steps in the 4Ps model and discusses student outcomes, as well as the business focus of the 29 teams that have completed the course since 2012. Benefits, challenges, and advice for delivering the 4Ps model are discussed.

Understanding private consultants’ involvement in technology transfer – a case study

PurposeIn the realm of innovation systems and technology transfer (TT), the emergence of open innovation and complex market dynamics has amplified innovation intermediaries’ prominence of their role and involvement in TT projects. This study delves into private consultants’ involvement in TT projects, namely in what got them involved by the project’s key stakeholders.Design/methodology/approachAn iterative two-phased research approach was followed, including exploratory interviews and a quantitative case study of a consultancy firm engaged in 219 TT projects.FindingsFive main key motivators were found to lead TT stakeholders to involve private consultants in their TT projects, being the most relevant, the proactivity of private consultants.Originality/valueThe case study and results provide an alternative perspective of TT endeavours, emphasising the importance given by TT stakeholders (mostly recipient companies) to private consultants’ involvement as innovation intermediaries.

International Cooperation between Korea and Cambodia to Conserve and Manage Angkor Stone Heritage using Non-destructive Technology

ABSTRACT The stone team of the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (NRICH) in Korea implemented a technology transfer project 2016 − 2020 to manage heritage monuments during the Angkor period in Cambodia. This saw staff from both countries’ conservation organisations participating in training, education, and joint research, and making joint academic presentations on technology transfer. The research subjects included statues recovered from the Don Tei and Phnom Bei Temple located near Angkor Thom; the Nokorbachey Temple in Kampong Cham Province, the southern stronghold; and the Banteay Chhmar in Banteay Meanchey Province, a central transportation point in the northwest. Non-destructive technology from Korea was used to investigate the condition of the Angkor ruins, evaluating the suitability of the approach and modifying it as appropriate, and training was conducted to improve the participants’ problem-solving and technology application abilities. This exchange project and the data it generated demonstrate the benefits of continuing this approach to develop the conservation skills and problem-solving abilities of managers of Angkor ruins, and ultimately contribute to the preservation of Asian cultural heritage.

Analyzing Factors Influencing Technology Transfer Success in the IT Sector Using Jollys Subprocess Framework

Technology Transfer (TT) is the movement of technology, know-how and skills from one organization to the other so as to facilitate developing new technologies that would be commercializable. In information technology particularly, TT constitutes a critical impact to competitiveness and growth. In this paper, we establish factors affecting TT projects’ success based on a survey of 135 project managers of 277 TT projects. To measure different influencing factors, a 5-point Likert scale is used whereas the success of project is measured by Jolly’s subprocess model. The findings showed that the “Channels of Communication” were the largest predictor in the level of TT effectiveness, followed by the “Management Support,” and “Technology Concreteness.” However, the factors such as ‘Sense of Common Purpose’ and ‘TT Awareness’ which were considered as less important by the respondents also proved significant on the statistical level. 52.59% of TT initiatives transitioned to commercialization while the rest were either stunted at other stages or completely dead. This study stresses the need for communication, management support, and specific attention to the issues of organizational awareness and cooperation in order to achieve effective technology transfer.

A Multi-Criteria Assessment Model for Cooperative Technology Transfer Projects from Universities to Industries

Cooperative Technology Transfer (CTT) is a technology transfer model where universities and enterprises jointly participate throughout the entire process of technology transfer activities. Most discussions focus on its mechanisms and influencing factors, yet a framework to guide CTT projects in practice is still lacking. This study proposes an assessment model based on the life-cycle of CTT projects, covering the initial cooperation relationship, project management during the mid-term, and technological achievements at the end. The model was evaluated by 14 experts first and then validated through two CTT projects in China. Gray Relation Analysis was employed to calculate the weights of different factors based on their relative importance, while the Dempster–Shafer theory was utilized to combine evidence from various sources and address the uncertainty in the assessment. The results of the case analysis indicate that the attitudes of universities and enterprises are considered critical in influencing the success of CTT projects, while management issues that arise during the projects can pose potential risks. This research serves as an applied exploration and has three functions. Firstly, the model can be used as a feasibility study before the project commences. Secondly, it can be utilized to analyze and improve potential issues during the project. Finally, it can be used for a post-project experience summary.

Construction of a model for evaluating the efficiency of technology transfer process based on a fuzzy logic approach

The object of research is technology transfer, which covers the mechanism of transfer of technological knowledge and innovations from developers to end users or manufacturers. The problem to be solved is to provide a relevant assessment of the effectiveness of technology transfer by applying modern economic and mathematical models (based on the method of fuzzy logic) to assess the effectiveness of technology transfer under conditions of uncertainty. The main results obtained: a fuzzy-logical model for evaluating the level of the technology transfer efficiency indicator was built; it is performed according to the following algorithm: 1) the involvement of three components of technology transfer – technological, financial, and marketing as input variables of the model, which are calculated on the basis of statistical and financial reporting data, expert surveys; 2) selection of parameters and type of membership function for three input variables and one output variable (integral indicator) and construction of a system of 27 logical rules; 3) determining the efficiency of technology transfer using Mamdani's fuzzy derivation and checking the adequacy of the model. A visualization of the "input-output" surface was performed, which determines the maximum value of the TTPE (TechnologyTransferProjectsEfficiency) indicator, which serves as a summary indicator for the success of technology transfer projects and is observed at high levels of model input variables. The indicator T (technical component of technology transfer efficiency), F (financial component of technology transfer efficiency), and M (marketing component of technology transfer efficiency) was introduced. The scientific results could be applied to determine the optimal ways of technology transfer to industry, to plan strategies for introducing new technological products to the market, taking into account the effectiveness of licensing, partnership, and cooperation processes

A comprehensive review on technology transfer

In the evolving corporate world, there's a growing focus on leveraging technological assets through technology transfer, a trend fueled by globalization, economic liberalization, and stronger intellectual property rights since the World Trade Organization's inception. These factors have integrated technology transfer as a critical aspect of the global business framework. However, the process of technology transfer is complex, and transferees often lack the necessary skills for effective management. While existing literature extensively covers these topics, it notably lacks practical solutions for these challenges. To bridge this gap, this paper introduces a novel "Life Cycle Approach for Planning and Implementing a Technology Transfer Project." This approach is designed to help avoid common pitfalls and address key management issues in technology transfer. The study begins by exploring the concept of technology transfer and reviews several existing models. It evaluates their pros and cons, leading to the proposition of the "Life Cycle Approach." This innovative model is intended to resolve frequent problems encountered by technology transferees, providing a structured methodology for managing technology transfer initiatives. The paper concludes with a mention of a project by the UNESCAP Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), which utilizes this Life-Cycle concept. This project exemplifies the approach's practicality in enhancing the Asia-Pacific region's technology transfer capabilities, highlighting its relevance and applicability in diverse global contexts.

An industry survey on approaches, success factors, and barriers for technology transfer in software engineering

AbstractOne central aspect of software engineering research is the transfer of the proposed approaches into industrial practice. In the past, a number of technology transfer approaches and experiences from technology transfer projects in software engineering have already been reported. However, many researchers still struggle to get their research results noticed by practitioners. To investigate what is important to practitioners, we conducted a mixed‐methods study that provides us with reliable quantitative data as well as deeper insights from qualitative data. Our results show that there is a mismatch between industry professionals' needs and commonly proposed technology transfer approaches in the software engineering field. For instance, collaboration between industry and academia as well as participation in empirical evaluations is not deemed important from an industry point of view. In contrast, industry professionals emphasize the use of company‐specific pilot projects conducted by industry and the need for experts to be available in every phase of technology transfer.

Sistema para la articulación de elementos claves en los procesos de transferencia tecnológica en los países latinoamericanos

The paper proposes a technology transfer system for Latin American countries based on the Latin American model of technology transfer and the digital information obtained. Theoretical methods are used taking into account the analysis of qualitative information, quantitative data is required from the number of specific digital access documents. The Latin American model of technology transfer shows the need to establish technology transfer projects and offices, to which is added a monitoring of the transferred results. It was confirmed that Higher Education Institutions need technological surveillance observatories to evaluate changes, trends and possible transformations in the implementation of technology transfer processes and systems. In conclusion, Latin American countries could develop new models or systems of technology transfer emphasizing changes in the relationship system between the key elements, in particular the University and the business sector, and include the technology transfer offices as an articulating entity between the two.

Vaccine technology transfer in a global health crisis: Actors, capabilities, and institutions

The COVID-19 pandemic, which featured international pharmaceutical firms seeking to build global manufacturing networks to scale-up the supply of vaccines, has generated heightened interest in understanding the role of firm-to-firm technology transfer. While considerable attention has been given to tracking the extent of international vaccine technology transfer, we know little about how partnerships were established and work in practice. Understanding the challenges that such projects face, and how such challenges may be overcome, is crucially important. This paper provides an account of the partnership between the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, the vaccine developer that has engaged in the most technology transfer and built the widest global manufacturing network, and Bio-Manguinhos, a public laboratory linked to Brazil's Ministry of Health. The case study demonstrates the importance of capabilities and regulatory flexibility. Moreover, the analysis highlights the role of political factors that affect the process of technology transfer, and innovation more broadly. Because of the risks involved and the need to quickly mobilize existing capabilities and build new ones, as well as the imperatives of coordinating among manufacturing and regulatory processes and allocating resources to make such arrangements feasible, technology transfer projects need to be enabled politically. Looking forward, the case study has implications for initiatives to expand technology transfer for broadened production of vaccines in the Global South.

High bAndwidth coMmercial digitizer for hostile EnvironmenT (HAMLET)

The Mu2e collaboration has developed a digitizer board that samples up to 20 differential signals with a frequency of 200 MHz, 12 bits of resolution, and dynamic range 0 - 2V. The digitizer has been qualified to operate in the hostile environment of Mu2E. The qualification levels are Total Ionizing Dose of 12 Krad and Neutron fluence of ∼ 1 0 11 1 MeVn eq /cm 2 , 1 T magnetic field, level of vacuum of 10 −4 Torr. The digitizer has aroused considerable commercial interest, as there are currently no digitizers with similar characteristics on the market. The original Mu2e board can’t be used as is and requires both hardware and firmware changes before entering the market. INFN funded a technology transfer project called HAMLET to support this new design. Additionally, HAMLET collaboration developed also a demonstration application based on an array of SiPM coupled to a scintillating crystal and connected to the digitizer. The demonstrator constitutes a complete and scalable, radiation qualified hardware platform, that can be used in hostile environments.

Introduction to an agile framework for the management of technology transfer projects

Technology transfer offices play a valuable role in protecting and commercialising intellectual property developed at universities, for social and economic benefit around the world. University College London (UCL) Business Ltd is a technology transfer office that commercialises technology arising from the world-renowned research at UCL.PRINCE2 and agile approaches are amongst the popular choices of project management methodologies, however current frameworks are rigid and do not work very well within the technology transfer space, specifically in the biotechnology sector, due to the unpredictable nature of the projects. More organisations are adopting a flexible approach to delivering projects and becoming more agile in their management style. In a translational environment specifically, having a flexible response to change is highly encouraged. Current agile frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban, work extremely well within the IT and engineering-based projects, however for technology transfer projects (TTPs) they are slightly out of scope or too rigid in their methodology. An alternative agile framework is proposed to better suit the biotechnology sector and academic-research environment. This focuses on the breakdown of the project plan in separate work-packages, to manage the deliverables in separate development cycles using a system that splits the management into three gears based on the type of work and the length of time required to reach the deliverables within the project plan. This allows for the management of projects in stages against the original project plan, which in turn de-risks the project in stages. This framework is proposed as an alternative project management tool for biotechnology TTPs within a technology transfer office as well as the biotechnology industry.

Risk Identification from the Perspective of South-South Cooperation —Evidence from China and Mongolia Agricultural Technology Cooperation

Continuous growth, the transformation of animal husbandry, and economic policy offer substantial opportunities for agriculture development, alleviate poverty, food security gains, improve human nutrition, and grow the agriculture economy. In Mongolia, successive governments have brought revolutionary changes to establish the planting industry in the region. The Mongolian government vigorously implemented a "land reclamation" policy three times to promote and develop the plant industry. Plant industry is the only viable livelihood option for the impoverished Mongolian people. Therefore, South-South Cooperation agricultural technology transfer project is a significant component of China's international agricultural cooperation and assistance. It has carried out many exemplary agricultural projects to improve agriculture development and animal husbandry in Mongolia, positively enhancing agriculture productivity. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the modes, achievements, and risks critically. This introductory article examined the existing difficulties and risks related to the dairy cow, sheep, and freshwater fisheries in China and Mongolia during 2000-2020. It concluded that lack of supply chain cooperation and unsustainability are significant problems. Finally, this study provides guidelines to promote the agricultural economy, technology, and market mechanisms to gain the mutual benefit of economic and trade cooperation. This study suggests transforming the existing single project-driven cooperation mode of government and enterprises into a deepen corporation by multiple projects in agriculture, animal husbandry, technological management, metrology, crops, and veterinary medicine. Moreover, to increase renewable energy, the government should support, cooperate, and implement the “One Billion Trees" campaign as part of the "Recovery Policy" to mitigate climate change.

Transfer of Space Technologies in Iran: Drivers and Constraints of Success

Understanding how publicly funded technologies could diffuse industries and other sectors in developing countries has been a challenge for researchers in the field of cross-sector technology transfer. Specifically, advanced technologies are rarely commercialized or transferred to industries. Technology transfer projects are highly dependent on many regional and contextual conditions. This study aims to determine how high-tech technology transfer in a developing economy can be operationalized by studying its complexities. A thematic analysis was applied to semi-structured interviews with 18 participants in the qualitative phase, investigating the critical factors affecting the transfer of space technologies to other sectors. The results explained the critical factors within ten categories and their inter-relation with one another. The results suggest that technology transfer in high-tech industries can be better understood if analyzed within a complex paradigm. Policy recommendations and implications have been presented in three layers, dealing with systems, responsibilities, and direct failures.

Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil.

Technological development is key for national strategies to cope with the Paris Agreement’s goals. Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) aim to identify, prioritize, and diffuse climate change mitigation and/or adaptation technologies in developing countries. Their methodology includes a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework but, although many countries already conducted a TNA, literature lacks discussions on country-specific processes for a TNA, as it usually follows a one-size-fits-all approach. This paper provides empirical evidence on the importance of country-driven processes that help shaping international programmes into country-specific needs and capabilities. It presents lessons learned from a tailored process for identification, prioritization, and selection of mitigation technologies in the scope of a TNA project for Brazil, an exceptional case of a developing country with strong capacity in integrated assessment modelling (IAM) scenarios for guiding its climate strategies. A previous IAM scenario result allowed pre-selecting technologies in six key economic sectors, while other TNAs prioritized no more than three. This allowed the elaboration of an overall ranking from the MCDA, in contrast to sectoral rankings that are mostly employed in other countries’ TNAs. The overall ranking serves not only as a basis for the selection of priority technologies but also provides information on the integrated innovations framework for climate technologies in the country. Further specific findings of the tailored Brazilian TNA approach are discussed in the paper in order to call for the importance that a technology transfer project should not only be country-driven but also conducted through a country-specific process.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11027-022-10025-6.

Level of Absorptive Capacity among Contractors in Technology Transfer Project: Electrical Train Service (ETS), Malaysia

In a global competitive environment, technical changes are rapid, volatile and very complex. Nowadays, technology is labelled as a weapon towards organization for performance and productivity, which made absorptive capacity (ACAP) an important aspect. Absorptive capacity refers to an organization’s ability to recognize, capture, assimilate, transform and exploit the new technology within the organization. In order, to allow technology transfer to be successful, the organization is required to have a strong ACAP. However, a previous study has outlined that the level of ACAP in the construction industry is relatively low and this has made the technology transfer process in the industry very challenging. Thus, this research aims to explore the ACAP level and technology transfer activities in a construction project. The objectives of this paper are to identify the factors that enhance ACAP in the technology transfer process, to measure the level of ACAP in the technology transfer process and to identify a suitable suggestion in order to improve ACAP in the technology transfer process. 35 contractors from the electric double track (ETS) project, in Segamat have been involved, with a 35% of respond rate. The contractors from the ETS project have been chosen as the project is known as a mega project and has involved various foreign technology and experts, which allow technology transfer to happen actively. Questionnaires are used as the research instrument and descriptive data analysis is conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The findings show that the organizational factors contribute a significant influence towards ACAP in the technology transfer process. The ACAP level that is experienced by the respondents contribute towards good work performance, while the communication and skills aspect are to increase the level of ACAP in the technology transfer process. Based on the findings of this study, the organizations, contractors, academics, and others need to alert and view one of these issue as an important problem and to establish further cooperation in maintaining the level of absorptive capacity of new technology in the process of technology transfer in order to achieve optimal levels over a period of time.

A hybrid approach for identifying and prioritizing critical success factors in technology transfer projects (case study: diesel locomotive manufacturing)

PurposeWith the rapid advancement of technology, companies use new technologies to produce their products and services to maintain a competitive advantage. As companies alone cannot research and develop their technologies, they should use knowledge sources outside the organization that may exist throughout the world; hence, organizations need technology transfer. Because the success rate of technology transfer projects is low, the need to accurately assess and investigate the critical success factors of technology transfer projects is felt. In this regard, this study aims to identify and prioritize the critical success factors in technology transfer projects.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, 56 critical success factor (CSF) were extracted from the context of the articles and were adjusted using experts’ opinions in different phases, as well as the fuzzy-Delphi approach. Finally, 15 factors were categorized in the form of steps of the technology transfer model: STAGE-GATE. In the next step, the set of criteria needed to prioritize CFSs was extracted from the literature and finalized with the help of the experts. Then, how each of the CSF influences the identified criteria was scored according to the organization’s export opinions. Finally, the priority of each key success factor was calculated using the additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method.FindingsThe results obtained for prioritization of the critical success factors show that experience in technology transfer in the transferee company, the existence of experienced technology transfer managers, sufficient organizational infrastructure and documenting project problems, achievements and experiences are four critical success factors of the technology transfer projects. Considering the long-term and short-term specific goals of the technology transfer process and the choice of technology in line with the company’s commercial strategy are also the critical success factors with the next priorities.Originality/valueThe combination of ARAS and step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis methods for identifying and prioritizing managerial decisions in the high-tech industries is a value of this research. Also, a combination of novel multi-attribute decision-making methods by the older framework of new product development is another contribution of this research.

The Mobilization and Use of Plant Genetic Resources with High Potential as Fodder, Honey and Energy Crops: achievements and prospects

This article presents the results of scientific research in the field of mobilization, acclimatization, introduction of new species and foundation and maintenance of fodder, honey and energy plant collections over the last decade and possibilities of using the mobilized plant resources in bioeconomy. The studies carried out made it possible to determine the biological peculiarities of growth and development, the productivity, the biochemical composition and the nutritional value of feed in 137 new taxa, and the mechanical and energy features of the biomass in 20 species. Besides, the foundation of the collection of potential honey plants was laid; currently, it includes 47 taxa. As a result of plant breeding 10 new cultivars were created, 9 new cultivars of plants with multiple uses have been registered in the Catalogue of Plant Varieties and 7 cultivars have been patented at the State Agency for Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI). Three technology transfer projects were implemented. The results of scientific research were presented at 66 national and international scientific events, 336 scientific papers published published in scientific periodicals and journals registered in national and international databases, awarded 33 medals and 6 diplomas at various Salons and Exhibitions of Inventions in the Republic of Moldova and abroad.

Evaluating The Efficiency Of Technology Transfer In The Processing Industries: An Empirical Approach Based On Data Envelopment Analysis DEA Of The Processing Industries In The Souss-Massa Region

Technology transfer is a powerful growth factor in industrial value added in the processing industries. Of course, it is important to assess the efficiency of technology transfer in the processing industry by analysing its influencing factors and discussing strategies to improve technological innovation. However, it is still difficult to measure its direct impact on the improvement or creation of value added, and one of the most relevant indicators that could measure the real impact of technology transfer is efficiency. The efficiency of the modes of technology transfer will therefore be the comparative relationship between inputs and outputs in the technology transfer activities based. It is an indicator for measuring the profitability of technology investment in industrial transformation. In our study, we will try to integrate a mathematical tool that allows us to solve optimization problems using a program operating under different constraints imposed by a model. The usefulness of this model depends on the ability to implement it, by the managers of production lines who are called upon to implement R&D, innovation or technology transfer projects. Based on panel data of processing industries that use one or more modes of technology transfer in the Souss-Massa region, this article will examine trends in the efficiency of technology transfer use, mainly as a result of technological progress and the promotion of technology transfer.

Improvement of Strawberry Irrigation Sustainability in Southern Spain Using FAO Methodology

Irrigation sustainability is particularly important in the vicinity of Doñana National Park (Huelva, Spain), where Europe’s most important wetland area coexists with a profitable strawberry irrigation activity. In this paper, an innovation and technology transfer project was laid out. The project was promoted by the Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), belonging to the Regional Government of Andalusia. The main objective of the project was to contribute to the sustainability of the complex ecological, productive, and social system of this region. The project was focused on the rational use of water resources. Experimentation, demonstration, technology transfer, and training activities were carried out, involving public administrations, companies, and private farms. The project was carried out in collaboration with strawberry companies covering a total surface area of 1900 hectares. Irrigation application efficiency and irrigation water productivity increased by 66% and there was also a significant increase in water saving (44%), without resulting production losses. The success of the activity was based on the implication of farmers in experimentation assignments. During a five-year time span, irrigation trials took place on several farms. This fact allowed a progressive improvement of irrigation management by farmers based on confidence in the experimental work results.