Individual choice or institutional practice: Which guides the technology transfer decision-making process?

摘要

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the degree to which individual technology transfer officers'rnheuristics and biases, as well as peer technology transfer institutions' practices, influence the rntechnology commercialization decision-making process.rnDesign/methodology/approach - A qualitative method was used to gather data from technology rntransfer officers (TTO) regarding how they make commercialization decisions. Responses were rnexamined in the context of rational choice theory and institutional theory in an attempt to discern rnwhether common decision-making practices are shared among officers from different institutions.rnFindings - The subjects shared relatively few common organizational and professional rndecision-making practices. The sample was relatively evenly divided by TTO with an individual rnheuristic bias and those with a rational approach to decision making. Individual heuristics influenced rnall subjects to varying degrees.rnResearch limitations/implications - The TTO plays a central role in the technology rncommercialization process yet the paper found little evidence that professional practice and rnstandards were integrated into decision-making processes. Further research examining why this is the rncase, and examining if there is a relationship to outcome success, is warranted.rnPractical implications - Managers need to better understand and monitor how decisions are made rnwithin individual offices. Technology transfer directors should conduct a process audit to determine rnthe extent decision-making processes are internally or externally defined, and then implement best rnpractice where appropriate.rnOriginality/value - Very few studies examine how TTO make commercialization decisions, and rnfewer examine this phenomenon in the context of both a rational choice and institutional theory rnframework.