Call for Papers
Technology Transfer: The Practice and the Profession
3-4 December, 2008
<st1:place><st1:placename>Rotterdam</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>School</st1:placetype></st1:place> of Management,
<st1:place><st1:placename>Erasmus</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>University</st1:placetype></st1:place> <st1:city><st1:place>Rotterdam</st1:place></st1:city>, the <st1:country-region><st1:place>Netherlands</st1:place></st1:country-region>
There is plethora evidence that gains from successful technology transfer positively affect markets and societies at various levels <st2:citation>(Shane & Stuart, 2002; Slaughter & Leslie, 1997; Zucker et al.,1998)</st2:citation>. Technology transfer, in this context, is the process through which knowledge, products or processes are transferred from one organization to another for business benefit (e.g. Wittamore et al., 1998). Indeed, the study of technology transfer is not new; however, recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new profession often referred to as technology transfer professionals. Technology transfer professionals apply various skills to accomplish a technology transfer activity. Past studies have already hinted about several competencies required by individuals and organizations to support technology transfer activities. For example, possessing legal competencies to ensure the appropriation of value created by the technology originator (Colyvas, 2007); marketing and negotiation competencies (Horng and Hsueh, Sep 2005); team work competencies (Large et al., 2000); innovation competencies (Markman et al., 2005); and knowledge management competencies (Gorman, 2002). Indeed, based on past studies, the breath of competencies an organization should develop and possess is rather wide and diverse.
This conference is designed to revisit the relevant literature and explore new technology transfer practices and skills in light of the emergence of the profession of technology transfer.
In particular, the conference will seek to discuss the various contexts within which technology transfer takes place and the competencies, skills and practices developed as a result. Among such contexts are:
- technology transfer between different legal entities <st2:citation>(e.g. universities to profit-orientated organizations)</st2:citation>
- technology transfer between different geographical areas <st2:citation>(e.g. <st1:place>Europe</st1:place>, <st1:country-region><st1:place>USA</st1:place></st1:country-region> and <st1:place>Far East</st1:place>)</st2:citation>
- Technology transfer between different industries <st2:citation>(e.g. research to consumer electronics)</st2:citation>
With the consideration of such contexts, we seek to understand which skills are imperative at the individual level and how such skills are translated into organizational competencies, practices and performance. Similarly, we seek to understand which skills are contracted out and how such an approach affect organizational competencies, processes and performance.
The conference is designed to bring together insights from research, practice and policy making at various levels. In particular, we seek to stimulate a discussion following the results and the conclusion of the EC CERT-TTT-M project, which will be presented during the conference.
We invite papers from researchers, policy makers, practitioners and advisers that investigate the emergence of the technology transfer profession and its impact on technology transfer practices and organization performance. Some themes that are of particular interest in this conference are:
- Which skills are imperative for technology transfer at the individual and organizational level?
- How various contexts change the importance of technology transfer skills at the individual level and the competencies at the organizational level?
- Does the formation of the technology transfer profession shape and affect the technology transfer practices and competences at the organizational level? And if so, how?
- What factors explain the relationship between technology transfer skills and organizational performance?
- Do policy makers affect the formation of the technology transfer profession and if so, how?
We are interested in submissions that are both conceptual and empirically-based representing the application of various theoretical lenses to explain the relationships between technology transfer skills, organizational competencies and organizational performance.
Submission guidelines:
Please submit your extended abstract <st2:citation>(5 pages, font 12, double spaced)</st2:citation> to Patricia de Wilde-Mes <st2:citation>(PMes@rsm.nl)</st2:citation> no later than <st1:date month="9" day="15" year="2008">September 15th 2008</st1:date> by <st1:time hour="17" minute="0">17:00</st1:time> CET. Authors will be notified whether their abstract was accepted by <st1:date month="9" day="26" year="2008">September 26th 2008</st1:date>. Authors of selected abstracts from the conference will be invited to submit a full paper for an edited book and a special issue in an international journal.
Additional information about registration, accommodations and the location can be found on: http://www.rsm.nl/home/faculty/academic_departments/strategic_management
Organizing Committee:
Prof. Henk Volberda
Dr. Ilan Oshri
Dr. <st1:personname>Tom Mom</st1:personname>