Factors affecting technology transfer offices' performance in the Italian food context

Abstract

In recent years, growing attention has been devoted to the commercialisation of knowledge and technologies developed by universities and public research institutions. A central role in this particular process is played by the technology transfer offices (TTOs), which are on the one hand in charge of promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology to external companies, and on the other hand are also responsible for protecting and licensing the intellectual property of the research organisation. This paper is focused on a TTO operating in the food context, with the specific objectives of identifying the performance indicators and the main factors affecting its performance and, finally, analysing the relationships among these factors. Results highlighted the importance of both external and internal factors for the performance of a TTO operating in this context. In addition, we found both direct and indirect relations within these factors.

Keywords:

• university technology transfer office
• performance
• food industry
• fuzzy cognitive map
• Delphi method

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Barbara Bigliardi is Associate Professor of Business and Engineering Economics at the Faculty of Engineering of Parma University. Her primary research interests focus around innovation and technology transfer. She has authored or co-authored more than 70 papers published on international journal. She acts as referee for more than 50 international scientific journals and conferences, and she is also member of the editorial board of three international journals and Associate Editor of two international journals.

Francesco Galati graduated (with distinction) in 2009 in Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Parma and holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Republic of San Marino in 2013. His research activities mainly concern innovation management, organisational change and technology transfer.

Giuliano Marolla graduated in Industrial Engineering and Management at the University of Parma and holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of the Republic of San Marino in 2013. His research activities mainly concern technology transfer and university spin-off.

Chiara Verbano is an Associate Professor of Business and Engineering Economics at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Padua. Her major research interests are the fields of R&D management, technology transfer and risk management.

ORCID

Barbara Bigliardi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8588-7066

Francesco Galati http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7294-6183

Chiara Verbano http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2300-7235