Moving R&D to the Marketplace, A Guidebook for Technology Transfer Managers

Abstract

The United States faces a paradox: Although the acknowledged world leader in scientific discoveries, it lags behind Japan and several Western Nations in the ability to move technological innovations rapidly out of the laboratory and convert them into commercially viable produ'cts. There exists a long list of products in areas as diverse as computer science, energy technology, automotive design, and consumer electronics where the United States has been unable to capitalize fully on the genius and inventiveness of its research and development community. The reasons behind this paradox are many, and involve all levels and sectors in the chain of invention, innovation, production, and commercialization. A critical link in the process of bringing new innovations to the marketplace is the R&D manager. It is the R&D manager who 'lives" with the research, who initiates and provides the much needed early push and the sustained support to move innovations successfully into the hands of industry and ultimately to the consumer. The R&D manager can have a significant impact on the ability of a Nation to transfer leading-edge technology from the laboratory into the international marketplace. The United States government is the single largest sponsor of R&D. The managers of Federallyfunded research and development efforts have a special obligation for ensuring the timely transfer of technology to the private sector marketplace. Indeed the rationale and the justification for government-sponsored non-military R&D are based on the premise of eventual commercial applications of research results. As the stewards of research undertaken for the public's benefit, research managers must ensure that significant benefits flow from Federal research investments in a timely manner. Usually this will occur only if conscious and systematic efforts are undertaken to facilitate the technology transfer process. Managing a successful technology transfer program requires detailed knowledge of effective technology transfer strategies and methods. This publication provides a broad background in a simple, straightforward manner for everyone interested in the technology transfer process. It is my belief that Movinq R&D to the Marketplace-A Guidebook for Technoloqv Transfer Manaciers will serve as a valuable and handy reference. It demystifies jargon and suggests practical, common sense approaches. It presents a Gariety of strategies for accomplishing technology transfer and provides clear examples for the reader, as well as an extensive set of checklists and information sources for day-today use. This guidebook will help R&D managers fulfill their important role in improving US. competitiveness in the world market. I recommend it highly as a standard reference guide to R&D managers and to decision-makers in both the public and private sectors.

A methodology facilitating knowledge transfer to both research experienced companies and to novice SMEs

“…In the literature there are in the main two expressions used for the transfer process, Technology transfer and Knowledge transfer. According to Mock, Kenkeremath, and Janis (1993) Technology Transfer is the transfer of research results and its applications to an industrial implementation. It occurs when knowledge gained by one individual or group is adopted by another individual or group.…”

“…It occurs when knowledge gained by one individual or group is adopted by another individual or group. Mock et al (1993) Hadwiger, 2011). The exchange takes place between the donors, having the knowledge and the receivers, receiving the knowledge.…”

Predicting Technology Success: Identifying Key Predictors and Assessing Expert Evaluation for Advanced Technologies

“…One line of research examines the organizational process of developing and commercializing new products. Researchers have long argued that successful commercialization of innovative technologies typically involve a number of critical and observable steps (e.g., Dorf and Worthington, 1987;Galbraith et al, 1991;Cooper, 1993;Mock et al, 1993). In response, several highly structured, normative product development models have been proposed.…”

“…Many of these early stage assessments now involve some type of multidimensional scoring sheet or rating process (Cooper et al, 2002). In fact, within the past decade there has been a stream of complex technology readiness check-lists or calibrated scoring models designed for early stage, or ''fuzzy-front'' end assessments (Mock et al, 1993;Koen et al, 2002).…”