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Definitions
What is technology transfer? It is
a tired cliche that technology transfer is a "person to person" activity,
or a "body contact sport." Tired or not, the cliche is accurate. For any
transfer to occur, some contact between people must occur first. Inventions
and new technologies spring from and reside in the human mind. Written
descriptions, samples, or even working prototypes rarely convey all that
is to be known about a new technology.
Recently, the term "technology transfer"
has fallen out of favor among many who view the term as outmoded or too
narrow in scope, and who prefer terms such as technology collaboration,
technology deployment, technology utilization, etc. These are, for the
most part, semantic differences which do little to increase our understanding
of these closely related phenomena. The term "technology transfer" encompasses
such a broad range of activities that a general definition brief enough
to be useful is impossible to develop. However, operational definitions
of technology transfer are easier to devise in a specific context, and
are best constructed in terms of specific mechanisms of transfer. A number
of different definitions are in use by various institutions and groups,
and some of them are included below.
(If you know of yet another definition
used by an institution or group involved in technology transfer, please
email it to us.)
The course cosponsored by the Washington
Area Chapter of the Technology Transfer Society uses the following definition:
"The transfer of technology,
expertise, or facilities from one person or organization to another for
the purpose of commercialization or product/process improvement."
The Technology Transfer Society's brochure
defines technology transfer as "a strategy for achieving organizational
goals, as "a process leading to actual transfer," and as "a discipline
involving a multiplicity of skills."
The Federal Laboratory Consortium
defines technology transfer as
"The process by which existing
knowledge, facilities or capabilities developed under federal R&D funding
are utilized to fulfill public and private needs."
The Office of Management and Budget definition
of technology transfer given in Circular No. A-11 (1994):
"Technology Transfer consists of
efforts and activities intended to result in the application or commercialization
of Federal laboratory-developed innovations by the private sector, State
and local governments, and other domestic users. These activities may include,
but are not limited to:
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Technical/cooperative interactions (direct
technical assistance to private sector users and developers; personnel
exchanges; resource sharing; and cooperative research and development agreements);
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Commercialization activities (patenting
and licensing of innovations and identifying markets and users); and
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Information exchange (dissemination to
potential technology users of technical information; papers, articles,
reports, seminars, etc.)."
Here you can find:
Michael Odza, Publisher of Technology
Access Report defines technology transfer as:
"The business transactions or processes,
such as patent licenses or startup companies, by which innovations are
moved from one place (such as a university), development stage or application
to another place (such as a company) for a commercial purpose. (We include
defense conversion as a special case under this definition.)" |
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Technology Transfer Mechanisms
Another way to understand technology
transfer is to examine the mechanisms by which it takes place. As there
are many definitions of technology transfer, observers have created many
different sets of mechanisms by which technology transfer occurs. Some
of those are Technology Transfer mechanisms involving Federal Laboratories
from:
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The Federal Laboratory Consortium
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The National Technology Transfer Center
The mechanisms by which technology is
transferred from universities is similar to those involving federal laboratories.
The focus tends to be on technology licensing, faculty consulting, spinoff
companies, and a notable addition for universities — the continuous flow
of trained graduates into other areas, particularly industry. |
