Factors Influencing the Performance of Technology Transfer Offices: the Case of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities

Rūta Žmuidzinaitė; Sandra Žalgevičienė; Lina Užienė

doi:10.5755/j01.ee.32.3.25785

Authors

Rūta Žmuidzinaitė University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway
Sandra Žalgevičienė Startup Norway, Norway
Lina Užienė Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.32.3.25785

Keywords:

Technology Transfer, Technology Transfer Office, European Consortium of Innovative Universities, Performance, Factors

Abstract

Technology transfer offices (TTOs) play an important role in innovation ecosystems. There is a global strive to make these offices more efficient and improve their performance. This study aims to reason the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at the members of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). To reach this aim, the comparative literature review of the factors influencing the performance of the TTOs was performed first. The survey along with the semi-structured interviews interviewing leaders of the TTOs with the aim to validate the relevance of the factors was conducted afterwards. The discussion on the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at ECIU members is presented at the end of the study. The study reveals the following as the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at the ECIU network: i) TTO strategy; ii) relationships with investors; iii) networking; iv) functioning of a special TTO unit dedicated to working with industry; and v) business experience of TTO staff. It also brings an extension to the technology transfer literature by discussing organizational issues of technology transfer in the European context. The study reveals that the key factors influencing the performance of TTOs at ECIU members are quite similar regardless of the age of TTOs or the country of operation.

Author Biographies

Rūta Žmuidzinaitė, University of South-Eastern Norway, Norway

Rūta Žmuidzinaitė is an advisor at the Research and Innovation Unit, Department of Research and Internationalization, University of South-Eastern Norway. She holds 2 Master‘s degrees in Social Sciences: Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, obtained in 2018 from Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania), and Culture, Organization, and Management, obtained in 2014 from Vrije University Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Rūta‘s interest areas are knowledge/technology transfer, innovative and engaged universities, academic entrepreneurial ecosystems, value creation in externally funded research projects, strategic partnerships, responsible research and innovation (RRI), research integrity, sustainability.

Sandra Žalgevičienė, Startup Norway, Norway

Žalgevičienė Sandra is a Community and Sales coordinator at Startup Norway (Chr. Krohgs gate 1, NO-0186, Oslo, Norway). She holds a Master‘s degree in Social Sciences: Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, obtained in 2018 from Kaunas University of Technology. She has also been an intern at the Katapult Accelerator, National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Lithuania, and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Norway. In addition to all of this, Sandra was a Technology Transfer Specialist at National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Lithuania.

Lina Užienė, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

Dr Užienė Lina is an associate professor at the School of Economics and Business, Kaunas University of Technology. She received a Ph.D. in Management and Business Administration in 2005. Her current research focuses on national policy-making based on effective management of intellectual resources, digital transformation, and the development of innovation-oriented infrastructures. She is a member of different scientific committees and bodies responsible for the development of methodologies and the transfer of knowledge from educational systems to business practice. She is an author of more than 30 academic publications, books, and chapters. She acts as a national and international expert, a research project manager, and an inspirational speaker to promote innovation leadership and intellectual capital development via educational forums and platforms.