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Technology transfer offices as providers of science and technology entrepreneurship education

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Bolzani

    (University of Bologna)

  • Federico Munari

    (University of Bologna)

  • Einar Rasmussen

    (Nord University Business School)

  • Laura Toschi

    (University of Bologna)

Abstract

Universities show an increasing commitment to stimulate science- and technology-based entrepreneurship with the aim of contributing to societal and economic development. The provision of science and technology entrepreneurship education (STEE) and the operation of technology transfer offices (TTOs) share the objective of improving university capabilities and output in science-based entrepreneurship. The literature has addressed STEE initiatives and TTOs separately. This paper reports the first comprehensive study of TTO involvement in STEE. From a sample of 176 university TTOs across 28 European countries, we found that 71 percent of TTOs were involved in the provision of STEE. The extensive involvement in STEE indicates that TTOs play an active role in stimulating universities’ entrepreneurial capabilities beyond specific licensing and spin-off cases. We analyze how the characteristics of TTOs and universities potentially influence the scope of STEE involvement in terms of breadth of contents, target audiences and duration. We find that older, strategically autonomous TTOs that are located in universities attributing strong relevance to technology transfer activities are particularly active in STEE. The active role of TTOs in STEE has implications for understanding the entrepreneurship education ecosystem of universities and offers interesting opportunities for further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Bolzani & Federico Munari & Einar Rasmussen & Laura Toschi, 2021. "Technology transfer offices as providers of science and technology entrepreneurship education," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 335-365, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:46:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s10961-020-09788-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-020-09788-4
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    2. Roberta Dutra de Andrade & Paulo Gonçalves Pinheiro & Matheus Dantas Madeira Pontes & Thayanne Lima Duarte Pontes, 2023. "Unleashing Knowledge Sharing in Emerging Economy Startups: A Multilevel Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Zhi-Guang Li & Yanrui Wu & Yao-Kuang Li, 2023. "Technical Founders, Digital Transformation and Corporate Technological Innovation: Empirical Evidence from Listed Companies in China’s STAR Market," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-03, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    4. Christopher S. Hayter & Bruno Fischer & Einar Rasmussen, 2022. "Becoming an academic entrepreneur: how scientists develop an entrepreneurial identity," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1469-1487, December.
    5. Ferran Giones & Kari Kleine & Silke Tegtmeier, 2022. "Students as scientists’ co-pilots at the onset of technology transfer: a two-way learning process," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1373-1394, October.
    6. Choi, Haneul & Yoon, Hyunjung & Siegel, Donald & Waldman, David A. & Mitchell, Marie S., 2022. "Assessing differences between university and federal laboratory postdoctoral scientists in technology transfer," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(3).
    7. Modic, Dolores & Suklan, Jana, 2022. "Multidimensional experience and performance of highly skilled administrative staff: Evidence from a technology transfer office," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(10).
    8. Brown, Austin R. & Wood, Matthew S. & Scheaf, David J., 2022. "Discovery sells, but who’s buying? An empirical investigation of entrepreneurs’ technology license decisions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 403-415.
    9. Albats, Ekaterina & Alexander, Allen T. & Cunningham, James A., 2022. "Traditional, virtual, and digital intermediaries in university-industry collaboration: exploring institutional logics and bounded rationality," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship education; Research commercialization; Technology transfer; Technology transfer office;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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