Introduction
Technology transfer is not easy to define.
There have been several attempts to do
so and each definition is liable to many
critiques. However, one can retain that of
the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD) which describes technology transfer as « the flow
of know-how, experience and equipment
amongst different stakeholders such as
governments, private sector entities, financial institutions, NGOs and research
institutions ». Another agency of the UN,
the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) defined it as « the transfer of
new technologies from universities and
research institutions to parties capable
of commercialisation ». This is the definition that is adopted in this paper. Yet, it
is worthy to note from the UNCTAD that
« technology » in « technology transfer
» has a broad meaning, as it is referred
to as being « know-how, experience and
equipment » embodying at the same time
tangible and intangible assets. Technology
encompasses therefore technologies in the
strict sense, skills, knowledge, manufacturing methods, manufacturing samples such
as prototypes, demonstrators, or sample
products, tools and facilities.
Technology transfer is the necessary process
by which innovation from university can
trigger industrial development by way of
boosting productivity and, hence, economic
growth. International technology transfer
between developed countries and less developed countries has yielded virtually no
results. However, it is a fact that industrialised
countries have only been able to reach that
level by transfering technology (innovation)
from public or private research to industry.
This is the one of the main explanations of
the fact that though South Korea was at
the same developmental stage as Ghana
in the 1970s, it has now attained a state
of development which is far beyond that
of Ghana.
Undoubtedly, knowledge economy is
the fuel of industrialisation and economic growth. However, for it to generate
any benefits, there must be some transfer
from the place where knowledge is generated (the university) to where it may
be transformed into something tangible
usable and useful to society in general and
the production sector in particular. If the
Cameroonian economy is to become an
emerging country by 2035, it must move
from an economy of consumption to an
economy that transforms raw material
as well as ideas into refined products.
This may only be possible if knowledge
gained through research (either public or
private) is shared with industry. For this
to happen, enough sensitisation must be
done and sufficient information needs to
be imparted on the issue. Stakeholders’
awareness must be raised to thhe fact that
productivity may only be boosted through
technology transfer. These stakeholders
include researchers (students and lecturers)
but also industry tycoons, promoters of
small and medium size enterprises, decision makers and the general public. It
is thus necessary to determine how and
to what extent technology transfer is an
invaluable tool for economic growth but
also the technology transfer framework
of present day Cameroon.
1. Technology transfer as a tool for
economic growth
There are various formal and informal ways
through which technology may be transferred and the process certainly results
in significant benefits for any economy.
1.1. Forms of technology transfer
Whether the technology has resulted
from public research in universities and
research centres or from private research
in companies’s Research and Development
(R & D) departments, there are several
ways in which it may be transferred to
industry. These include both formal and
informal ways.
Formal technology transfer includes training
and education by universities, the hiring
of graduates and university researchers,
collaborative research between universities and companies’ R&D departments,
technology services and consultancy from
academia for teh benefit of industry, patenting, licensing and any other form of
commercialisation of universities’ protected
intellectual property as well as spin-offs
run by universities themselves.
Informal technology transfer includes any
informal exchange, that is, any exchange
which is not subject to a contract but most
often, researchers’ publications (in scientific
journals and other reviews) and papers
presentation in conferences, seminars
and colloquia.
1.2. Requirements and Benefits of
Technology Transfer
For technology transfer to take place and
deliver the expected benefits, there must
be a clear policy. Designing and adopting
policy is the role of government through
policy documents, laws, regulations and
any other instruments. Political will is an
essential but not the unique requirement
for technology transfer, universities must
be willing to disseminate their knowledge
and industry must be ready to absorb that
knowledge in the many existing ways and
put it into practice. Then, universities and
industry must not be stopped by a lack of
clear governmental policy or appropriate
instruments that promote technology transfer as they can yield huge benefits in the
process whether or not a clear national
legal framework exists as there is no law
that prohibits it. Instead there are several pieces of legislation that provide for
technology transfer. In fact, people and
passion are taken to be the main ingredients
for technology transfer success. Besides,
knowledge may only be generated through
sound and reliable research. This means
that universities must put mechanisms in
place that promote research best practices
thereby creating a conducive environment
for innovation. If universities fail to innovate,
then, there will be no knowledge to share.
Technology transfer may not only happen
and universities must equip themselves with
Technology Transfer Offices that will help
draft sound policy and contract templates,
do all the paper work (contracts and files
to protect any intellectual property) but
also train all researchers on technology
transfer related issues so as to make sure
there is always a win-win contract whereby universities, researchers and industry
benefit. Well skilled personnel in management, accountancy, economics, intellectual
property and basic contract law must be
hired to perform these duties. Universities
must therefore adopt sound strategies to
manage research and research results determining teh best ways to protect and
commercialise them.
Technology transfer offers many benefits
to the various stakeholders. For industry,
and mainly local small and medium size
enterprises, knowledge from universities
may help in reducing production costs and
increase revenue with new and more efficient
operating methods. Technology transfer
helps companies increase their technical
capabilities and access management and
marketing expertise as well as new sources
of capital. Use of transferred technology
warrants access to larger markets whether
local or international and, consequently, to
new distribution channels. All of this helps
companies acquire and retain competitive
advantage for their growth and that of
the country.
For universities, technology transfer helps
strengthening and establishing research
conventions with industry in order to fund
research and harness revenue to finance
other activities within the university. Patenting, licensing and other commercialisation of generated intellectual property
(knowledge) helps universities establish
their leading role or signaling their expertise
in any given field. Technology transfer in
the form of graduates and reserach staff
recruitment in companies benefits univers...
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