Contextualizing technology transfer: a review of university-industry transfer in the construction industry

In this chapter, we take a business-related contextual perspective into the technology transfer literature, and focus specifically on understanding what we know and what is still to be explored in terms of technology transfer in the construction industry. We take the construction industry as a representing an interesting setting for a review with a contextual dimension for several reasons, like, at least in Europe, the construction industry has often been considered a mature, traditional industry, often conservative and attached to familiar technology, but heavily challenged by an increased global competition, urging the firms in this industry to engage in innovation. Furthermore, next to synthesizing current knowledge, and contrasting it to the tech transfer literature in general, this chapter also presents a research agenda for future research into this intriguing field.