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Inventions and their commercial exploitation in academic institutions: Analysing determinants among academics

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  • Bijedić, Teita
  • Chlosta, Simone
  • Werner, Arndt

Abstract

Institutions of higher education are considered as an important source of innovation. Consequently, big efforts are made to facilitate technology transfer from academia into the market. However, technology transfer at German universities does not seem to live up to its full potential. We find for example that while 18,5% of our sample did in fact generate at least one invention, only 4,5% of the sample are engaged in commercialization activities. Therefore the vast majority of generated inventions remains unexploited. Based on this finding, we analyze how individual, career-related, and institutional factors affect the innovation and knowledge transfer activities of male and female academics. We show that Gender differences as well as career and human capital related factors (e.g. scope of employment, professional experience, and leadership position) affect such innovation transfer activities. While women generate fewer inventions than men, the fulltime employed researchers with a professional experience outside of academia and a leadership position lead to more inventions as well as partly higher exploitation activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Bijedić, Teita & Chlosta, Simone & Werner, Arndt, 2016. "Inventions and their commercial exploitation in academic institutions: Analysing determinants among academics," Working Papers 04/16, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ifmwps:0416
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pohlmann, Tim, 2009. "Innovationspotenziale und -verwertungsstrategien an deutschen Hochschulen [Motives and Barriers to patent in Universities]," MPRA Paper 27344, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 Dec 2009.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    academics; gender; innovation; inventions; commercial exploitation; institutional context;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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