Commercial Knowledge Transfers from Universities to Firms: Improving the Effectiveness of University-Industry Collaboration

Posted: 24 Nov 2009

See all articles by Albert Link

Albert Link

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro - Department of Economics

Donald S. Siegel

Arizona State University-School of Public Affairs

David Waldman

Arizona State University West

Leanne Atwater

University of Houston - C.T. Bauer College of Business

Date Written: 2003

Abstract

American universities were criticized in the 1970s for not getting new technologies into the private sector more quickly. Through legislation over the years, this process has been expedited by removing legal barriers. This study is an analysis of the university-industry transfer (UITT) process based on 98 interviews of key stakeholders at five universities in two regions of the United States. The stakeholders included university administrators, academic and industry scientists, business managers, and entrepreneurs. Through qualitative methods of research, barriers to UITT were identified and included cultural differences, inflexible bureaucrats, ill-designed systems of reward, and the poor management of university technology transfer offices (TTOs). Findings of the study provide recommendations for improving the UITT process. (JSD)

Keywords: Open science, Reward systems, University-firm relations, Cultural differences, Firm management, High technology industries, Scientists, Intellectual property, Commercialization, Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, Technology transfer, Barriers, Colleges & universities

Suggested Citation

Link, Albert N. and Siegel, Donald S. and Waldman, David A. and Atwater, Leanne, Commercial Knowledge Transfers from Universities to Firms: Improving the Effectiveness of University-Industry Collaboration (2003). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership Historical Research Reference in Entrepreneurship, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1512334

Albert N. Link (Contact Author)

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Greensboro - Department of Economics ( email )

Greensboro, NC 27402-6165
United States
336-334-5146 (Phone)
336-334-4089 (Fax)

Donald S. Siegel

Arizona State University-School of Public Affairs ( email )

411 North Central
Phoenix, AZ 85004
United States
6024961101 (Phone)

David A. Waldman

Arizona State University West ( email )

P.O. Box 37100
Phoenix, AZ 85069
United States
602-543-6231 (Phone)

Leanne Atwater

University of Houston - C.T. Bauer College of Business ( email )

Houston, TX 77204-6021
United States

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