The Bayh–Dole Act, Technology Transfer and the Public Interest

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason F. Perkins ◽  
William G. Tierney

Passed to stimulate innovation and economic growth in 1980, the Bayh–Dole Act caused research universities in the USA to increase their focus on patenting and licensing activities. While Bayh–Dole appears to have led to an escalation in licensing and patenting applications through technology transfer offices, some question the Act's utility and influence with regard to the traditional mission of the university. This paper describes the Act's operation and influence, and analyses its consequences for academia, industry and the mission of research universities.

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-100
Author(s):  
Peter Vale

In this interview Craig Calhoun talks about universities, the Humanities and his own research. Universities reinvent themselves in the face of societal and technological change. In the midst of this change, however, universities are charged with maintaining old ideals, with informing the public and creating opportunities for human development. The Humanities often bemoan these changes but they are ideally positioned to contribute to the changing university – especially through teaching – and so protect the traditional place of the university in society. The Humanities must help to defend the canon but, at the same time, be open to new rethinking the canon by embracing alternative epistemologies. One means to do this is to opening knowledge up by embracing languages other than English. Calhoun’s own research is focussed on those ‘parts of globalisation’ that are not commonly investigated: Belonging and Identity, Social Emergencies as an exception; the fragility of Global capitalism.


Author(s):  
Tobias Kesting ◽  
Bernd Wurth

This chapter aims at analyzing and optimizing the requirements of the internal environment regarding university-business cooperation (UBC). It focuses on university Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), intermediate organizations embedded within the university environment. They support knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) activities, particularly the commercialization of research-based products. TTOs are supposed to accelerate and facilitate KTT from science into business practice. Although literature on university research commercialization highlights the relevance of transfer support by TTOs, empirical studies and KTT practice show that TTO services are used rather sparsely. Based on theoretical considerations and results of recent empirical studies on KTT, this chapter discusses two practice cases to derive indicators for a better exploitation of unused KTT support potential of TTOs. The results show that personal engagement aimed at a marketing service provider philosophy emerges as the key factor for fostering and intensifying cooperation between researchers and TTOs.


Author(s):  
Alan Collier ◽  
Fang Zhao

This chapter reports on case studies of four North American universities engaged in technology transfer and commercialization. The literature and case studies permitted an understanding of the characteristics possessed by universities and university technology transfer offices that appear to be successful in technology transfer and commercialization. Fourteen characteristics, or institutional enablers, are identified and analyzed in order to determine which among these characteristics have greater influence in the success of technology transfer offices. The chapter concludes that universities with superior-performing technology transfer offices possess two factors in common. First, the university President and other executives concerned in commercialization have to believe in it and make a genuine commitment to its success. Second, the technology transfer office has to be led by an individual who possesses several attributes: the ability and willingness to work within the university structure; the ability to be both an entrepreneur and a manager; the ability to see what is happening in technology transfer and commercialization as it evolves and matures; and to be a leader of people and business.


2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Daniel Blakeslee

Abstract The biopharmaceutical industry has been undergoing change for a number of years and that change is accelerating.  Larger pharmaceutical companies are acquiring smaller ones, companies are merging, laboratories are being closed, and the number of scientists performing research in the pharmaceutical industry is declining.  Overall, commercial industry, including the biotechnology industry, is becoming more interested in the benefits of collaboration with research institutions.Universities are also changing their view of relationships with industry.  Shrinking federal budgets are causing universities to look at other sources of revenue, including collaborations with industry.  Federal and state governments are also looking closely at the benefits of sponsoring university research, and in particular are seeking to accelerate commercialization of university discoveries not only to obtain the benefit of invested research dollars, but also for economic development and job growth.  Universities, and in particular university technology transfer offices, must understand these changes and adapt to them. This paper discusses the university/industry relationships, and the particular issues important to universities which shape that interface. 


Author(s):  
Olga Murova ◽  
Aman Khan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to estimate the efficiency of public investments and their impact on economic growth in the USA using panel data. Results of the study show highly significant and positive relationships between gross state product (GSP) and expenditures on education, transportation, health, welfare, and public safety (police and fire), and negative but significant relationships between output and employment in health care and public safety services. Inefficiencies in the study are measured using per capita tax revenue and time. Tax revenue has a very minimal positive and significant effect on efficiency, while time inversely relates to efficiency. Design/methodology/approach The present study uses SFA to investigate the efficiency of government expenditures in five service sectors – education, transportation, health, welfare, and public safety (police and fire), using recent data and economic trends. The study hypothesizes that changes in the current levels of expenditures in the public sector have a significant impact on the aggregate economy, as measured by GSP. The study uses GSP as the dependent (output) variable, and government expenditure on the five service sectors as the independent (input) variables. Findings Analysis of efficiency for individual states for all 21 years produced interesting results. Overall, the technical efficiency of the public sector was quite high. The average TE score across all years and all states was 0.878. This suggests that public sector operates at a relatively high efficiency level. Originality/value The current SFA model followed Battese and Coelli approach of estimating efficiency of public sectors in each state of the USA. It allowed estimation of policy impact on the overall efficiency. It was applied to macroeconomic panel data.


2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-234
Author(s):  
James M. Haney ◽  
Andrew Cohn

This article discusses the importance for technology transfer offices of sound media and government relations strategies. It reports the results of a nationwide electronic survey in the USA and interviews with technology transfer managers on how they handle public relations issues in their offices. Strengths and weaknesses of their communication operations are highlighted, and perceived training needs are identified. Based on their research, the authors recommend: (a) more proactive public relations activities for technology transfer offices, (b) increased promotion of business partnerships, (c) effective evaluation of current activities, (d) possible best practices, (e) specific training initiatives and (f) ways to improve responses to attacks on the Bayh–Dole Act.


2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 336-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catharine Bomhold

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how academic libraries in the USA have responded to the rapidly evolving mobile environment and to determine if there is a noticeable, comprehensive pattern to instituting mobile services. Design/methodology/approach – The researcher surveyed library mobile services of 73 academic libraries at Carnegie Foundation rated RU/VH institutions. Based on this survey, the paper describes the current state of mobile services at very high research universities. Findings – While most academic libraries at research universities have some sort of mobile presence, what is offered is highly varied and is not predictable. There are still many notable University libraries that have no mobile presence. Practical implications – This study highlights the inconsistent nature of mobile services at research universities and identifies best practices in place at others. Originality/value – This is the first study to employ the Carnegie Foundation ratings of the university in which the library functions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-172
Author(s):  
W. Ker Ferguson

This empirical study investigates the hypothesized relationship between US federally funded university research and development (R&D) and its resulting economic impact, as measured by the level of licensing revenue generated by US universities. The author also examines the key operating statistics of the top-ten licensing income-producing technology transfer offices in the USA to determine what may differentiate them from their counterparts in other institutions and whether there are identifiable traits within the data that could be incorporated into a best practice model for the rest of the industry. It is found that there is a small but statistically significant correlation between R&D spending and economic impact. However, university licence income is found to be more a function of the system-wide volume of R&D funding than individual technology transfer office behaviour.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob Whelan ◽  
Daniel Kratochvil

TitleUniversity of Wollongong in Dubai: creating a private university in the public interest.Subject areaHigher education leadership and planning.Study level/applicabilityPostgraduate/higher education.Case overviewProfessor Rob Whelan was appointed President of the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) from the University of Wollongong in Australia (UOW). Professor Whelan brought to the job in Dubai the perspective that public‐good benefits flow from a comprehensive institution engaged with the larger community and these are led by academic staff members who produce research that serves the national interest. To apply this model to UOWD meant a thorough analysis of the organization in terms of both its culture and its broader environment. This case explores the various processes through which a new leader takes stock of an existing institution, identifies the potential for development in a particular direction, draws upon a range of stakeholders to refine the vision and develop it into a strategic plan, gains support for the plan, and then implements change through close collaboration with the institution's constituents.Expected learning outcomesThis case can be used to explore a number of issues in leadership and management including: identifying the various internal and external stakeholders in a complex organization; analysing strategies for mobilization for change, including the assessment of inclusive versus exclusive approaches; reviewing the opportunity costs of change; and assessing types of leadership.Supplementary materialsTeaching notes.


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