Contingent firm factors and possible modes of university-developed technology acquisition: A conceptual model

This paper aims to develop a theoretical background to identify: 1) the important channels of ‘university-developed technology’ acquisition and qualitatively group them in coherent modes and 2) the contingent factors (firm side) that characterize and differentiate these modes. Based on a systematic literature review of over 100 papers published till 2019, this exploratory research proposes: 4 prominent modes (viz., commercialization of IP, open channels, research services and research partnership) and 8 contingent factors (viz., business strategy, type of innovation, NPD stage, time span, financial risk, cost of managing IOR, industry concentration and geographical proximity hindrance) which affect firm's decision on how to acquire university-generated technology. These are the key parameters to design and implement university-industry technology transfer channels and opens up the debate on ‘external technology sourcing’ from universities and research institutions as a systemic approach. This study has important implications for policy design, entrepreneurs and university administrators.