Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the variables that play a relevant role in the management of university-industry linkage and technology transfer in the context of a public university in Mexico. Design/methodology/approach This study is quantitative, and the method is based on an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), to identify the group of variables that relates to university-industry technology transfer, by applying a questionnaire to full time professors and researchers. Findings The EFA allowed for the analysis of the relationships within a group of variables, and found that the structure of the principal components presents a close connection to the literature review. The first, second and third factors, named institutional support in the linkage and technology transfer activities, research results management, and university linkage activities planning, respectively, explain the original problem in a greater percentage. Additionally, it is suggested to include other variables, to increase the explained variance percentage of the components. Social implications The study of university-industry linkage and technology transfer allows for improvement in the institutional management of these activities, their entrepreneurship, and consequently, their use by companies, government and society. Originality/value This study focuses on analyzing a group of variables in a questionnaire, in order to identify those that are related to the university-industry technology transfer management, in the context of a public university in Mexico.

In the last years, studies and modifications to the science and technology regulatory framework in Mexico show the increase in the attention to transfer the research results of professors and researchers from higher education institutions, towards the productive sector with the purpose of generating regional, national and international growth and development. This study has conducted to the search of the factors that determine the increase of linkage activities and technology transfer. Based on the literature review, this study develops a framework integrated with the factors considered that have a significantly impact in the university-industry linkage and technology transfer. The proposed independent variables are the following: Institutional Factors, Academic Profile, and Innovation.