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What drives academic patentees to bypass TTOs? Evidence from a large public research organisation

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  • Rajeev K. Goel

    (Illinois State University
    Kiel Institute for the World Economy)

  • Devrim Göktepe-Hultén

    (Lund University)

Abstract

This paper provides insights into the behavior of academic patentees who choose to bypass in-house Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs). TTOs have gained favor in recent years as academic institutions have tried to increase commercialization of their inventions. Using a large sample of researchers at a leading German public research organisation (PRO), results show that patentees in physical and life sciences, those with doctoral degrees, and those with greater job experience are more likely to bypass TTOs. Different forms of industry interactions, including working in industry, industry cooperation and industry consulting, all make TTO-bypassing more likely, with some interesting differences across gender. Further, as expected, academics favoring free public access to their research are less likely to bypass TTOs. On the other hand, internal leadership position as a research group leader, German citizenship and risk attitudes do no exert significant influences. Implications for technology transfer policies are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajeev K. Goel & Devrim Göktepe-Hultén, 2018. "What drives academic patentees to bypass TTOs? Evidence from a large public research organisation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 240-258, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:43:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-017-9595-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-017-9595-7
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    2. Francisco I. Vega-Gomez & Francisco J. Miranda-Gonzalez, 2021. "Choosing between Formal and Informal Technology Transfer Channels: Determining Factors among Spanish Academicians," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Perkmann, Markus & Salandra, Rossella & Tartari, Valentina & McKelvey, Maureen & Hughes, Alan, 2021. "Academic engagement: A review of the literature 2011-2019," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    4. Chen, Kaihua & Zhang, Chao & Feng, Ze & Zhang, Yi & Ning, Lutao, 2022. "Technology transfer systems and modes of national research institutes: evidence from the Chinese academy of sciences," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(3).
    5. Federico Caviggioli & Alessandra Colombelli & Antonio De Marco & Giuseppe Scellato & Elisa Ughetto, 2023. "Co-evolution patterns of university patenting and technological specialization in European regions," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 216-239, February.
    6. Conor O’Kane & James A. Cunningham & Matthias Menter & Sara Walton, 2021. "The brokering role of technology transfer offices within entrepreneurial ecosystems: an investigation of macro–meso–micro factors," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 1814-1844, December.
    7. van Burg, Elco & Du, Jingshu & Kers, Jannigje Gerdien, 2021. "When do academics patent outside their university? An in-depth case study," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    8. Irene Sala & Maurizio Sobrero, 2021. "Games of policy and practice: multi-level dynamics and the role of universities in knowledge transfer processes," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 866-906, August.
    9. Sabrina Backs & Markus Günther & Christian Stummer, 2019. "Stimulating academic patenting in a university ecosystem: an agent-based simulation approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 434-461, April.
    10. Svenja Jarchow & Andrea Röhm, 2019. "Patent-based investment funds: from invention to innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 404-433, April.
    11. Rajeev K. Goel & Devrim Göktepe-Hultén, 2021. "Innovation by foreign researchers: relative influences of internal versus external human capital," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 258-276, February.
    12. Zellmer-Bruhn, Mary E. & Forbes, Daniel P. & Sapienza, Harry J. & Borchert, Patricia S., 2021. "Lab, Gig or Enterprise? How scientist-inventors form nascent startup teams," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    13. Hülya Ünlü & Serdal Temel & Kristel Miller, 2023. "Understanding the drivers of patent performance of University Science Parks in Turkey," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 842-872, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patents; Technology transfer office (TTO); Public research organisation (PRO); Industry interactions; Gender; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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