Factors Influencing the Performance of Technology Transfer Offices: the Case of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities

Abstract

Technology transfer offices (TTOs) play an important role in innovation ecosystems. There is a global strive to make these offices more efficient and improve their performance. This study aims to reason the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at the members of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). To reach this aim, the comparative literature review of the factors influencing the performance of the TTOs was performed first. The survey along with the semi-structured interviews interviewing leaders of the TTOs with the aim to validate the relevance of the factors was conducted afterwards. The discussion on the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at ECIU members is presented at the end of the study. The study reveals the following as the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at the ECIU network: i) TTO strategy; ii) relationships with investors; iii) networking; iv) functioning of a special TTO unit dedicated to working with industry; and v) business experience of TTO staff. It also brings an extension to the technology transfer literature by discussing organizational issues of technology transfer in the European context. The study reveals that the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at ECIU members are quite similar regardless of the age of TTOs or the country of operation.

Looking Back to Move Forward: Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Knowledge Transfer in University-Industry Collaboration

“…Additionally, as formal administrative departments within universities, TTOs operate based on well-defined rules and regulations. In this context, employees' experience is considered a more important quality than their creativity [91]. Therefore, it is also of great significance to explore the impact of the capacity, experience and service quality of TTOs employees on U-I linkages [92], [93].…”

Factors, Routes, and Existing Theories of Technology Commercialization in University: A Conceptual Framework

“…Another requirement is UTTO with organizational appropriate structure (Bercovitz et al, 2001). Specifically office with a clear strategy, good relationship with investor, strong networking with industry, and experienced UTTO staff (Zmuidzinaite et al, 2021).…”

Towards a model for determining patent revenue odds: An empirical study of technology transfer offices

“…Several previous studies have addressed factors that influence TTO performance, including business skills and capabilities of TTO managers (Bercovitz et al, 2001; Chapple et al, 2005; Mom et al, 2012) such as specific skills in identifying licensors (Markman et al, 2005), industry experience (Žmuidzinaitė et al, 2021), as well as the diversity of academic background and specializations of the director (Goble et al, 2017), the TTO staff (Soares & Torkomian, 2021); incentive practices for inventors (Arqué‐Castells et al, 2016; Bercovitz et al, 2001; Debackere & Veugelers, 2005; Siegel et al, 2003), or cultural resistances (Markman et al, 2005); the number of professionals employed in TTO (Conti & Gaule, 2011; Markman et al, 2005; Siegel et al, 2003); the number of invention disclosures (Siegel et al, 2003), especially quality invention disclosures (Markman et al, 2005); academic output in engineering and legal expenses (Siegel et al, 2003); organizational structure models (Battaglia et al, 2017; Brescia et al, 2016); constraints based on financial resources (Markman et al, 2005); experience (age) of the TTO (Conti & Gaule, 2011; Markman et al, 2005); little involvement of the inventor or little collaboration of the inventor with industry researchers (Wu et al, 2015).…”