Thesis (M.S. in Management Sciences) Naval Postgraduate School, June 1990. / Thesis Advisor(s): McGonigal R. A. Second Reader: Crawford, Alice. "June 1990." Description based on signature page on October 15, 2009. DTIC Descriptor(s): Foreign, Indonesia, nations, sources, technology transfer, transfer DTIC Indicator(s): Technology transfer, Military applications, Theses. Author(s) subject terms: Technology transfer application. Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-54).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--New York University, 1989. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-205).

Thesis (M.A.)--McGill University, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [149]-157).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 212-215).

Thesis (M.E.)--Thammasat University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-45).

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-140).

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-253).

The aim of this thesis is to develop, present and then demonstrate conceptual structures that link together an apparently heterogeneous range of research activity about technology in situations which are the subject of decision-making and policy formulation. Technology is considered to be knowledge as applied in organisations, communities, policy contexts and so on. It thus takes in not only the physical processes and output of the engineering sciences but also the new forms of organisation which use that output, their impacts on, and interactions with, people at large and with the so-called natural systems in which those people are embedded and with which they also interact. Methodologically many of the research publications which this thesis incorporates approach technology related issues and problems from the bottom up, from the most microscopic level of the individual human actor, the smallest feasible level of natural and engineered systems. It is an attempt to redress the top down perspectives which dominate technology and science policy formulation and decision making. This approach often requires research interaction at the level of the individual person or at the lowest level of physical and biological activity relevant to the issue at hand and the appropriate techniques for such interaction are debated and demonstrated. The principles of 'translation' or 'mapping' which are capable of being applied to a range of interactions between different domains (physically engineered, diverse individuals and knowledge) are developed. The thesis then shows how the representation of responses of people to products and services has evolved and begins to focus on organisations as suppliers of those products and processes. Technology is articulated as knowledge in the context of technology transfer into organisations and the thesis shows how those ideas evolved into the concept of knowledge dynamics in organisations. The problems of interactions which involve bio- physical systems as well as engineered systems and people and the issues of sustainability and policy relevant research are introduced. The nature of integrative interdisciplinary research about these issues is presented as a form of knowledge dynamics. The thesis shows how the concepts above can be used to distinguish between policy and decision relevant issues, and how they help to provide a conceptual framework within which the similarities and differences between knowledge policy in organisations and science research policy can be compared. Thus it is a series of interdisciplinary explorations into complex decision and policy relevant situations in which technology, in the form of knowledge and as the study of interaction between the designed physical world, people, organisations and natural systems, is a constant theme.

Universities are facing growing pressure to contribute towards innovation which has social impact and which contributes to economic development. Researchers mainly in the Science and Engineering fields are the primary sources of innovation outputs from universities and as such their involvement in commercialisation activities directly adds to the growth of innovative outputs from publicly financed research. Technology Transfer Offices (TTO) have been established at universities across South Africa to foster the involvement of researchers in commercialisation activities, to champion the innovation conversation within higher education institutions and to progress innovations from concept to application in society. This study focussed on understanding the factors which enable or create a barrier to the involvement of researchers in commercialisation activities at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. The key elements examined in this study include the researchers’ perception of enablers (monetary and nonmonetary incentives) and barriers to involvement at national, institutional and individual levels. This study undertook to understand the perceptions of researchers of enablers and barriers to involvement in commercialisation at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Researchers in the two faculties of Science and Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology were approached to anonymously complete an electronic survey, the questions for which were developed from literature. The results from the survey were analysed using descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing. This study finds that a combination of incentives is necessary to enable researcher involvement and to lower barriers to involvement in commercialisation research. A set of recommendations based on the study are put forward on how such recommendations can be implemented.

In the modern era, it is widely acknowledged that information and communication technologies have become foundational to every aspect of human endeavor and well-being. The policies of private and public sector organizations, and more so of governments of sovereign states, emphasize the deployment and utilization of information and communication technologies in virtually all forms of business activities. Comparatively, there is consensus that economic and social development of countries can be highly dependent on small and medium enterprises. A broader question arises as to how information and communication technologies can be combined with small and medium enterprises to accelerate sustainable development, especially in nations classified as least developing countries. This research provides some empirical evidence on the extent of the triangular correlation between the transfer of information and communication technologies, capacity building of small and medium enterprises for sustainable development in the least developed country context. The study provides useful insights for policy making with regards to leveraging small and medium enterprises plus information and communication technologies towards stimulating and accelerating sustainable development of least developed countries. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / PhD / Unrestricted