Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MEng (Technology Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / unrestricted

The impact of the Intellectual Property Rights Act for publicly funded research and development on technology transfer offices was studied, using a questionnaire survey and guided interviews of six technology transfer officers. The survey requested technology transfer officers to express the impact level of each of the eleven impact elements on the four stages of intellectual property development – these being intellectual property creation, disclosure, protection and commercialisation. The set of data was weighted for each element, by intellectual property development stage, and analysed using frequency tables. The impact elements of „structural and resource requirements to commercialise and manage intellectual property‟, „intellectual property detection process by the technology transfer officers‟, and‟ disclosure process‟ were ranked as the top three impact elements, in that respective order. Narrative inquiry and theme extraction allowed further elaboration of the impact elements. Comparison with Staphorst‟s (2010) results showed that the impact elements were different for science councils, pointing to unique requirements by universities in their intellectual property management systems. The results of this analysis clearly indicate that the Intellectual Property Rights Act enforcement and execution will demand a high degree of structural and resource requirements, particularly, and most importantly, at the intellectual property disclosure stage of intellectual property development. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The aim of this study is to identify characteristics that can be used to assess early-stage research results by research users and research producers of the advanced biofuel sector. Mainly, it qualitatively explores the perceptions of both research users and research producers regarding their experiences with research results. The study builds on the models of Diffusion of Innovation (DoI), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Perceived Characteristics of Innovation (PCI). The findings of this study suggest that the investigated dimensions of DoI, PCI and TAM are applicable to the context of assessing research results with the extra dimension of risk reduction. In particular, some of the criteria used to assess the usefulness of research results are through its originality, scalability and relevance. The findings also suggest that documentation and publication are important to research users: Research users assess ease of use based on the presentation of the research results in their documentation; and they assess the quality of research results based on publications and the reputation of researchers. The findings of this study can be used to tailor research results to research users’ needs, which in turn can be expected to improve the uptake and further development of research results. This will not only permit the push of scientific research results to research users only put also permit research users to inform research needs.

The work reported involves the evaluation of technologies and management systems applied to Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). The study focuses on Mexico City, which with a population of approximately 9 million inhabitants and an estimated daily generation of 13,000 tonnes of waste, is encountering extreme waste management issues. The structures and public policies designed to provide waste management services have proved inadequate in relation to high rates of population growth and intensive business activities. The significant increase in demand has led the government of Mexico City to base public services on rudimentary techniques using obsolete equipment. The research approaches the problem through the analysis of several different aspects: (1) a comprehensive literature review of waste management including technologies and legal frameworks; (2) a general overview of the main demographic, geographic and economic aspects of Mexico City; (3) an extensive analysis of historic and future waste generation profiles and composition of waste in Mexico City; (4) an evaluation of the current status of the waste management system, including programmes, plans, facilities and infrastructure; and (5) a comparative study of the waste management system of Mexico City and the systems of selected international cities. The evaluation resulted in the identification of the following significant issues: (1) limitations in legislation related to waste management and environmental laws; (2) high population growth and increasing business activity, which contribute escalating generation of MSW; (3) ineffective public policies focused on waste management; (4) significant gaps in low levels of recycling activities; (5) obsolescence of equipment, infrastructure and facilities; (6) lack of diversification in treatment methods for MSW; and (7) failure to exploit market opportunities in the waste management sector. In addition to the evaluation of the system in Mexico City, the analysis of waste management systems in selected international cities allowed the author to identify key factors in order to develop integrated proposals. The analysis highlighted significant aspects including: legal frameworks, the participation of the private sector, waste hierarchy, and guiding principles for plans and programmes. The information enabled the design of a proposed development plan of a comprehensive waste management system in Mexico City through two main proposals. Firstly, an integrated programme for waste management in Mexico City was developed to provide feasible long-term strategies in the field of waste management. The specific objectives, goals, actions, responsibilities and time scales were defined in order to provide concrete activities under specific fields of operation. Secondly, a project to obtain funding for technology transfer structured according to technical, market and economic studies, was elaborated. The guide is aimed to exemplify an investment project through the analysis of a feasibility study related to generation of energy from biogas in a controlled landfill in Mexico City. The process may be adapted to the acquisition of technology in different sectors of the waste management process.

Orientador: Ana Lucia Gonçalves da Silva / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T12:46:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Chiarini_Tulio_D.pdf: 4158767 bytes, checksum: 484945f08aead7fd2cca4d258a90ab74 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Nações relativamente atrasadas, de forma deliberada, buscaram, por além de seus territórios, instrumentos tecnológicos e conhecimentos capazes de acelerar seu crescimento e desenvolvimento econômico, especialmente quando entenderam que a tecnologia é fonte de vantagens monopolísticas. Esforços empreendidos por Estados Nacionais nesse sentido foram realizados, como medidas que incentivavam o roubo, a coopção, o contrabando, a imitação, a compra de conhecimentos de ponta que pudessem ser adaptados, modificados, melhorados e internalizados. Neste contexto, nações relativamente mais atrasadas conseguiram ter saltos de produtividade ao usar tecnologias desenvolvidas por nações relativamente mais avançadas, entretanto, esse não foi um processo automático. Políticas de estímulo à construção de aptidões tecnológicas foram empreendidas decididamente para que a tecnologia importada propiciasse um processo de aprendizado doméstico. Possibilitou-se, assim, que a posição de destaque da líder Inglaterra fosse posta em jogo, a qual, a fim de manter sua posição relativa e suas vantagens, dificultou a transferência tecnológica. A partir de uma análise histórico-dedutiva, tendo como fio condutor os três principais paradigmas tecnológicos (Revolução Industrial Inglesa, Paradigma Fordista e Paradigma das TICs), apresenta-se o papel da transferência de tecnologia para o processo de emparelhamento tecnológico e diminuição do atraso relativo em diferentes revoluções tecnológicas. Ênfase será dada, sobretudo ao terceiro paradigma tecnológico, a qual serve como pano de fundo para o caso brasileiro a partir de uma análise exploratória de três canais de transferência de tecnologia: comércio de produtos de alto conteúdo tecnológico, influxo de investimento direto externo e pagamentos pelo uso da propriedade intelectual. A proposição desta tese é que, no atual paradigma tecnológico, a transferência internacional de tecnologia é relativamente mais fragilizada, seja pela mudança da natureza do conhecimento e da tecnologia, seja pelas transformações engendradas pelo próprio capitalismo contemporâneo. Ademais, especula-se sobre o processo de transferência de tecnologia para o Brasil, que no seu caso tem ajudado a aumentar a dependência tecnológica. Há indícios de que o país não consegue consolidar um processo de industrialização que resulte em exportações de alto conteúdo tecnológico e que a abertura empreendida pelo país nos anos 1990, a qual registra desde então crescentes entradas de investimento direto externo, não propiciou um aprendizado tecnológico dinâmico, mas ampliou a dependência brasileira por tecnologias externas, o que é visto, dentre outros, pelo volume crescente de pagamento pelo uso de propriedade intelectual / Abstract: Relatively backward nations deliberately sought technology available in other relatively more advanced nations in order to accelerate their growth and economic development, especially when they realized that technology was a source of monopolistic advantages. Efforts of National States in this direction were performed, as measures that encouraged theft, smuggling, imitation, cutting-edge knowledge purchases that could be adapted, modified, improved and internalized. In this context, relatively more backward nations have achieved leaps in productivity when using technology developed by relatively more advanced nations, however, this was not an automatic process. Stimuli to the construction of technological capabilities were decidedly undertaken and a process of domestic learning was stimulated. In order to maintain the relative position and the benefits, relatively more advanced nations created barriers to impeach technology transfer. From a historical-deductive analysis, taking as a guideline the three main technological paradigms (English Industrial Revolution, Fordist and ICT Paradigms), we present the role of technology transfer in a technological catching up process in different technological revolutions. We give emphasis particularly on the third technological paradigm, which serves as a background for the Brazilian case from an exploratory analysis of three channels of technology transfer: trade of high technological content products, inflows of foreign direct investment and payments for the use of intellectual property. The proposition we make here is that, in the current technological paradigm, the international transfer of technology is relatively weakened, either by changing the nature of technology, and by the contemporary transformations engendered by capitalism itself. Furthermore, we speculate on the process of technology transfer to Brazil, which in her case has helped to increase technological dependence. There are indications that the country could not build an industrialization process that could result in exports of high technological content products and the economic opening undertaken by the country in the 1990s did not provide a dynamic technological learning process but expanded Brazil¿s dependence on foreign technologies, what is confirmed, among others, by the increasing volume of payment for the use of intellectual property rights / Doutorado / Teoria Economica / Doutor em Ciências Econômicas

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-07-01T15:03:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Ariane Gaiola de Oliveira Sanches.pdf: 1264759 bytes, checksum: 6f7d8121c038bc48a9e35814118add03 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-01T15:03:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ariane Gaiola de Oliveira Sanches.pdf: 1264759 bytes, checksum: 6f7d8121c038bc48a9e35814118add03 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / The Brazilian textile industry plays an important role in the country’s economy and in order to become more competitive, technology transfer investments are of great importance, especially in textile machinery which represents a greater amount. This work’s purpose is to present a guide which could be used by the Brazilian textile industry for its technology transfer procedures. In order to achieve this goal, this research project using a qualitative and quantitative approach was conducted, to which the respondent evaluated the adoption level of each practice by a Likert scale range from 0 to 4. It was an exploratory research project to deeply understand how technology transfer (TT) procedures happen and its application in textile industry. The data collection technique was through questionnaires to evaluate the steps adoption and sent to 187 companies selected as a sample through a survey method. The result analysis identified a set of 12 steps as a guide for technology transfer processes. It was noted a difference between the adoption level for companies located in different country areas and with different production amplitude, on the other hand different company size did not influence the adoption level of the steps. The findings can be used by companies and their management as a guideline for future modernization or expansion processes so that the stages identified in the proposed guide can be considered relevant in practice. / A indústria têxtil tem um papel importante para a economia do país e para que este setor se torne mais competitivo, a transferência de tecnologia é essencial, em especial a de máquinas têxteis que representam um volume de investimentos maior. O objetivo deste estudo é propor um guia que possa ser utilizado pela indústria têxtil brasileira em seus procedimentos de transferência de tecnologia. Para se atingir este objetivo uma pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa foi realizada em que o respondente avaliou a adoção de práticas em uma escala Likert de 0 a 4. O tipo de pesquisa foi exploratória para se compreender em maior profundidade como ocorrem os procedimentos de transferência de tecnologia (TT) e sua aplicação na indústria têxtil. A técnica de coleta de dados foi por meio do envio de questionários para avaliação da adoção das etapas para 187 empresas relacionadas em uma amostra através do método Survey. A análise dos resultados permitiu identificar que é possível propor um conjunto de 12 etapas como um guia de transferência de tecnologia. Notou-se que existe uma diferença entre os níveis de adoção das práticas para empresas localizadas em diferentes regiões e com diferentes níveis de profundidade de produção, porém não há indícios de diferenças no nível de adoção das práticas em empresas com diferentes portes. As descobertas deste estudo podem ser utilizadas pelas indústrias e seus gestores como uma orientação em futuros processos de modernização ou ampliação de forma que todas as etapas identificadas no guia proposto sejam consideradas relevantes na aplicação prática.

Africa has long been considered as the next big growth market, according to both experts and economic organisations alike (World Economic Forum, African Union, The Economist, McKinsey). With a youthful population, a burgeoning consumption market, and its increased digital advancement, Africa has unrivalled potential. However, economic progress has lagged, necessitating the need to leapfrog, i.e., harness technological innovation to accelerate economic growth, to contribute towards realising the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal “Decent Work and Economic Growth”. Additionally, Africa cannot afford not to, given the downsides of the lack of economic growth (instability and extremism). In academic research, technological innovation is driven by firms’ and individuals’ absorptive capacity (AC), i.e., their ability to recognise new knowledge, assimilate it, and apply it for commercial ends. However, there remains a lack of understanding on how to operationalise and leverage AC. The research was undertaken with the aim to understand AC from a micro-foundational perspective within the Africa and 4IR contexts. Qualitative research was conducted across 6 African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa), with 16 social actors, to gain insights on the processes, mechanisms and factors that contribute towards micro-foundational AC. The key findings of this research underscore the importance of the individual within the AC process. Additionally, the importance of contextualising AC to a developing market is highlighted. Other key findings reveal the enabling and hindering factors for successful AC. This research aimed to offer a contribution towards AC micro foundational research, and to offer practical insights for African firms, within the context of the 4IR era. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

This qualitative study explored the effects of intercultural differences on technology transfer interventions. More specifically, the emphasis was on key differences between the worldviews of change agents and clients that impact such change agentry attempts. Utilizing frameworks taken from intercultural relations, change agentry, and diffusion of innovations research, the study examined a single case of change agentry-the distribution of cookstoves to a rural community in Peru-in an attempt to answer the following question: How do intercultural differences help shape the results of change agentry interventions in technology transfer attempts? The focus of this study was the distribution of "improved cookstoves" in rural Andean, Peru, by a rural aid organization based at a university in Lima, Peru. Individuals from both the aid organization and the community were interviewed regarding their experience, including the engineering and technical team responsible for diffusing the technology, as well as community members who adopted the technology, others who did not, and a third group trained by the aid organization to be local "experts" in the use of cookstoves. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationships between change agents and client recipients by contributing a,n intercultural perspective to discussions of the diffusion of innovations and development interventions.

In diesem Buch sind die Forschungsergebnisse und praktischen Erfahrungen im Wissen- und Technologietransfer des Transferzentrums der Fakultät Maschinenwesen der TU Dresden: CIMTT – Zentrum für Produktionstechnik und Organisation zusammengefasst. Sie liefern Vertretern aus Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und intermediären Einrichtungen Anregungen und Hinweise, wie die kontinuierliche Entwicklung von Innovationen – vor allem in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen – ständig befördert und professionell unterstützt werden kann. Zum ersten führt das CIMTT Transferforschung durch, um die eigene Transferarbeit kontinuierlich an aktuelle wirtschaftliche Entwicklungen anpassen zu können. Deren Ergebnisse liefern auch Entscheidungsträgern in Wirtschaft und Politik Impulse, wie die Innovationstätigkeit in Unternehmen und der Transfer wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse in die Praxis effektiv gefördert werden können. Zum zweiten entwickelt und erprobt das CIMTT verschiedene niedrigschwellige Transferformate. Diese ermöglichen es besonders kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen sich prägnant und anwendungsnah über aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse an der Fakultät Maschinenwesen der Technischen Universität Dresden zu informieren. Dabei kommen sowohl persönlich als auch elektronisch vermittelte Formate zum Einsatz. Diese erleichtern die Kontaktaufnahme zwischen Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft und stellen einen ersten Schritt auf dem Weg zu Forschungskooperationen dar, die das Ziel der Entwicklung von Innovationen verfolgen. Zum dritten stellt das CIMTT Lehr- und Lernkonzepte sowie Workshops zur Verfügung, die es Studierenden wie Mitarbeitern in Unternehmen ermöglichen, die eigene Innovationsfähigkeit auszubilden, zu trainieren und im (späteren) Arbeitsalltag anzuwenden. Dadurch werden wichtige Voraussetzungen für die Erarbeitung von Innovationen in Unternehmen, aber auch für die Aufnahme externen Wissens aus Forschungseinrichtungen, geschaffen.

The main goal of this work was to contribute to an understanding of the role of the knowledge bases in regional innovation systems and to identify whether the sizes of the different subsystems of regional innovation systems differ in relation to their economic and innovation maturity, and the structure of the knowledge bases is relevant. Work has also sought to identify factors limiting the more efficient interconnection of the two sub-systems of regional innovation systems and how these negative factors can be overcome. The analyses carried out have shown that economically and innovatively developed regions follow different trajectories in the composition of knowledge bases than less developed regions. More developed regions have more developed analytical knowledge base and less developer regions are more oriented on synthetic knowledge base. The analyses also revealed that regional innovation systems vary in size and internal structure of each subsystem. Advanced regions have a much more developed subsystem of knowledge exploitation, that is the demand side, while less developed and less innovative regions have more developed the supply side, that is, the knowledge generation subsystem. Trust, information exchange and shared strategic vision have proved to be among the key aspects that can...