How institutional nature and available resources determine the performance of technology transfer offices

Abstract

This paper assesses the performance of GAPIs and OTICs, two different types of university technology transfer offices that have been active in Portuguese higher education institutions, since 2000 and 2006, respectively. Data originating from a survey of these offices were analysed through both cluster analysis and the estimation of a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) model. Results show that the institutional nature of each of the surveyed organisations implies different behaviours and outputs. Furthermore, it is shown that the resources and activities of the surveyed offices determine their performance concurrently with regard to technology transfer, licencing contracts and technology-based spin-offs. The results of this study may be particularly relevant for countries that are in the process of developing their university technology transfer activities, as they can help to shape policies in relation to TTOs' funding and resource allocation during the earlier stages of these activities.

Engines need transmission belts: the importance of people in technology transfer offices

“…As a matter of fact, there is empirical evidence showing a significant relationship between the number of people employed in the TTOs and TT outcomes, such as the number of new spin-off companies and licensed patents (Cartaxo and Godinho 2017;Chapple et al 2005;Hülsbeck et al 2011;Kergroach et al 2018;Smilor and Matthews 2004;Vohara et al 2004). These results are challenged not only by those who are skeptical about TTOs' importance, but also by those who do not support the need to increase TTO staff, arguing that the quality of employees is more important than their quantity (Bart Clarysse et al 2011).…”

Creating institutional preconditions for knowledge flows in cross-border regions

“…The frameworks consisting of formal and informal institutions play a crucial role in national and regional development in general and organization of innovation activities in particular (Storper, 1997;Gertler, 2004;Rodriguez-Pose and Cataldo, 2015). In addition to geographical boundaries, institutions might be delineated by organizational fields such as formal and informal rules guiding behavior of actors in the fields of academia, health-care, private sector and others (Scott, 2008;Cartaxo and Godinho, 2017). To summarize, actors in a cross-border region are embedded in a complex institutional matrix of nation-and region-specific regulations and norms as well as formal and informal rules of organizational fields that might cross national boundaries.…”

An empirical analysis of the relationship between university investments in Technology Transfer Offices and academic spin‐offs

“…Cartaxo and Godinho (2017), using data referring to Portugal, show that the resources and activities of TTOs determine the performance of those organizations with regard to TT, licensing contracts and spin‐offs.…”

“…According to Vohara et al (2004), the success of ASOs is influenced, in terms of support from the university, by mentoring, professional training and education, and easy access to managerial competences. Cartaxo and Godinho (2017), using data referring to university TTOs which have been active in Portuguese higher education institutions since 2000 and 2006, show that the resources and activities of TTOs determine the performance of those organizations with regard to technology transfer, licensing contracts and spin‐offs. In this sense, our expectation is that the presence of more people in the TTOs has a positive impact on the performance of ASOs.…”