University Technology Transfer and National Systems of Innovation: Introduction to the Special Issue of Industry and Innovation

摘要

While the idea of a global economy has great currency, the world remains far from homogenous. National differences persist despite the growing economic integration and the world is perhaps best viewed as a series of institutionally specific national and regional systems of innovation. The institutional structures of these systems shape the patterns of innovation and economic development in individual places and specific industries. Consequently, understanding national differences in these institutional structures is critical for analyzing the resulting patterns of innovation and economic development. Universities are an important institution that have long played an important role in generating economic growth and prosperity. However, the means to these ends have evolved considerably over the past two decades as the traditional mechanisms of creating and disseminating knowledge through research and teaching have been joined by a myriad of new initiatives. Many countries around the world are experimenting with new initiatives to promote technology transfer from universities, with varying results. The effectiveness of these initiatives and the degree to which these economies adapt is determined by the specific local context.