Technology Transfer and Learning

Despite the fact that international technology transfer has been widely studied its management still encounters many difficulties. To fully understand the issues that are relevant to the process of transferring production technology, it is necessary to determine the important factors that influence this process. Learning curves are often used as a means of determining the time required to become familiar with a transferred technology. The cases discussed in this paper have all employed learning curves, which were established at the outset of the transfer process and which turned out to be incorrect. As a consequence the envisaged efficiencies were not obtained. This phenomenon is partly due to the fact that when technology is transferred to a relatively inexperienced 'destination company', the curve is established based on the circumstances of the 'source company'. The case study findings lead to the conclusion that to establish a realistic curve a more comprehensive method is required than simply basing anticipated performance on that achieved at the source company.     

The relationship between foreign ownership and technology transfer

This paper focuses on technology-transfer implications of foreign-ownership restrictions. Using a theory of the multinational corporation, testable implications concerning the transfer of product and process technology via wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures are developed. Comparing selected countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment to less restrictive countries, two predicted results are found. First, technology transferred to countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment is disproportionately process rather than product technology. Secondly, the product technology transferred to countries that deter wholly owned foreign direct investment is relatively older.     

Evaluating the potentials of technical cooperation among developing countries

The main purpose of this article is to show that “there are optimal partners for technology transfer to be most effective,” and for many countries this may, in fact, mean looking for “technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC).” In this article a technology transfer model has been presented, in relatively simple mathematical form, which incorporates both the dynamic and the spatial aspects of the innovation diffusion process. The existing models of technological change at a particular location, i.e., technological substitution, are shown to be special cases of the developed time-level model of technology transfer. The model has been applied to evaluate the international transfer potentials of the “computerization” technology. Optimal partners are identified and the prospects for TCDC has been evaluated. Model usefulness and related policy implications have been discussed in detail.     

INFERENCE FOR DOMINANCE RELATIONS

The use of partial orders has been popularized as a way to conduct social evaluations using only minimal normative assumptions. Generically, this process involves comparing continuously indexed curves that are uniquely determined by the cumulative distributions of the individual attributes under study. In the literature on income poverty and inequality, for example, pairwise comparisons of entire income distributions and their respective Lorenz curves are routinely performed in order to characterize rankings of poverty, inequality, and welfare. In this article, we focus on the inferential problem that arises whenever such comparisons are made in the absence of census data. Statistical inference in these situations is particularly complex due to the fact that comparing curves invariably gives rise to four possibilities: the true population curves are equal, the first curve lies below the second, the second lies below the first, or the curves cross. To address this four‐decision problem, we introduce a two‐stage test that has good power and fine control over misclassification error rates.     

Concepts of learning and experience in developing solar thermal technologies

This study presents a plausible picture of development of solar thermal technology, using the learning and experience curve concepts. The cost estimates for solar thermal energy technologies are typically made assuming a fixed production process, characterized by standard capacity factors, overhead, and labor costs. The learning curve is suggested as a generalization of the costs of potential solar energy system. The concept of experience is too ambiguous to be useful for cost estimation. There is no logical reason to believe that cost will decline purely as a function of cumulative production, and experience curves do not allow the identification of logical sources of cost reduction directly. The procedures for using learning and aggregated cost curves to estimate the costs of solar technologies are outlined. Because adequate production data often do not exist, production histories of analogous products/processes are analyzed, and learning and aggregated cost curves for these surrogates estimated. If the surrogate learning curves apply, they can be used to estimate solar thermal technology costs. The steps involved in generating these cost estimates are given. Second-generation glass-steel heliostat design concept developed by MDAC is described; a costing scenario for 25,000 units/year is detailed; surrogates for cost analysis are chosen; learning and aggregated cost curves are estimated; and the aggregate cost curve for the MDAC designs is estimated. The surrogate concept of cost estimation combines qualitative steps, which are highly subjective, with quantitative techniques, which require thorough knowledge and understanding to justify their use. As such, the results, interpretations, and inferences must be qualified by an understanding of the process by which they were developed. The method of surrogate learning curves had limitations in both the data acquisition and data analysis phases of activity. Improvements in the validity of cost data and in the task used for this type of study are necessary to enhance the reliability of unit cost predictions resulting from this technique.     

An evaluation framework for technology transfer of new equipment in high technology industry

With the rapid advancement of technology, product life cycle is shortening continuously. In order to compete against other firms in fiercely competitive global markets, a firm has to keep developing new technology to differentiate itself from others. The acquisition of new core-technology equipment is especially important for manufacturing advanced products, and the technology know-how of the equipment must be transferred completely from equipment supplier to engineers and operators of the firm to effectively utilize the equipment. The objective of this paper is to explore the technology transfer of equipment and to establish a comprehensive framework for evaluating and selecting new equipment with critical technology transfer. Influence factors for technology transfer of new equipment are first collected by literature review and interviews with related experts in the thin-film transistor liquid-crystal display (TFT-LCD) industry in Taiwan. Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) is applied next to select the most critical factors. Then, interpretive structural modeling (ISM) is employed to determine the interrelationship among the critical factors. A fuzzy analytic network process (FANP) model is constructed to evaluate the technology transfer performance of equipment suppliers. The results of this study should provide a base for firms in evaluating the purchase of new equipment and a reference for equipment suppliers to strengthen their technology transfer process to their buyers.     

基于动态面板数据的中国菲利普斯曲线稳健性分析

基于中国1978-2008年31个省市的动态面板数据,运用系统广义矩估计方法,分别考察了传统的菲利普斯曲线、新凯恩斯菲利普斯曲线和混合菲利普斯曲线在中国的适用性及稳健性。结果表明三种类型的菲利普斯曲线在中国省际动态面板数据意义上都是成立的,且都是稳健的。政策含义是,政策制定需高度重视人们对通货膨胀率的前瞻性预期。     

The impact of technology transfer on agribusiness performance in Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study examines how technology transfer can influence the performance of small businesses in developing countries like Kenya. The theoretical basis of the study is the technology transfer model, which integrates a consideration of the transfer provider with that of the recipient’s capacity. The study’s sample comprises 104 enterprises. Correlation and a regression model are used for content analysis. The results show that technology transfers improve small businesses’ performance and help drive rural development. The effectiveness of transferred technology has a major impact on small businesses’ competitiveness and access to international markets. These findings imply that governments must develop technology transfer strategies for small businesses in order to enhance both their performance and food security. Government policies for technology transfer should incorporate incentives for agricultural technology transfer to boost food security.     

On the Impact of Innovation on the Marginal Abatement Cost Curve

When modeling the effects of innovation on the marginal abatement cost (MAC) curve, many studies in environmental economics have posited, implicitly or explicitly, a uniform downward shift. The purpose of this paper is to thoroughly investigate this claim in a simple theoretical framework by introducing innovation in the production function of a price‐taking, polluting firm in four economically meaningful ways. We establish that the effects of innovation on the MAC curve depend critically on the specific type of innovation, and that only innovation in end‐of‐pipe technology leads to a uniform downward shift of the MAC curve. A second class of results points to the fact that for other types of innovation in the overall production process, the scope for an upward shift of the MAC curve in response to innovation is easier to justify theoretically. These results call for a re‐appraisal of various results in environmental policy obtained in theoretical work relying on this postulate.     

The Transfer of Resources and Competencies for Developing Technological Capabilities - The Case of Fujitsu-ICL

In the management literature and the literature on technology transfer, it is widely acknowledged that learning in general, and the leveraging of knowledge throughout firms in particular, is important. However, there appears little systematic evidence of what technology and knowledge is transferred between organizations and how this occurs. The literature also tends to neglect how firms use such technology/knowledge transfer to cultivate appropriate technological capabilities. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by examining the successful exchange of resources and competencies between Fujitsu and ICL, and how it helped to extend the technological capabilities of both firms. It traces the evolution of the relationship from that of a loose technology-sharing agreement to that of sustained project collaboration and partnership. This relationship proved to be enduring, and provides a road map for firms engaged in technology/knowledge transfer to develop their indigenous technological capabilities.     

Sectoral Changes in Employment: An eclectic perspective on ‘good’ jobs and ‘poor’ jobs

The linkage Keynes established between the volume of employment that business firms require to make a particular number of jobs available provides an operational perspective about the way in which labor markets work. The aggregate supply or Z function is, in fact, a job offer curve. The most significant insight to derive from this curve is that job offers are inseparable from the economy's aggregate expenditure (or demand) level. This interdependency of aggregate supply and aggregate demand is necessary to understand the functioning of labor markets in the real world. This paper argues that a disaggregated model which encapsulates the economy's price-taking and price-making sectors offers a promising analytical tool to gain perspective about ‘good jobs’ and ‘poor jobs’ in post-Fordist economies. It is maintained that the sectoral deployment of workers reflects whether employing firms, as price-makers, can capture the increasing returns inherent in modern technology.     

The framework for factors affecting technology transfer for suppliers and buyers of technology in Korea

To gain an ongoing competitive advantage over other firms, a firm must acquire new technology to differentiate itself from others. This paper explores the technology transfer of technology for information technology equipment and establishes a comprehensive framework for the factors which affect on-time completion of technology transfer for suppliers and buyers according to technology transfer agreements. The technology transfer process is divided into the categorical stages that take place. Then, experts’ opinions are analysed through analytic hierarchy process to determine the influential factors affecting on-time completion of technology transfer. The results of this study should provide a basis for firms to evaluate on-time completion of technology transfer and a reference for the technology transfer process for both suppliers and buyers.     

Licensing Tacit Knowledge: Intellectual Property Rights And The Market For Know-How

Technology transfer involves more than just the permission to use knowledge covered by patents; the transfer of know-how is critical to the successful utilization of the transferred technology. However, know-how is typically difficult to codify, costly to transfer, and hence, difficult to contract upon. Using a principal-agent model I show that simple arms length contracts can accomplish the transfer know-how. The key to the success of arms length contracts is the complementarity between know-how and patents. The model explains why patents and know-how are bundled together in licensing contracts. It shows why licensing has limitations as a strategy for appropriating rents from innovation. The paper points to the key role that patent scope plays in determining the efficiency of know-how transfer and shows that broader patents can improve the efficiency of technology transfer, even when important components of the technology (know-how) are not protected by patents.     

组织模块化对研究型大学技术转移绩效的影响

技术转移是将社会科技资源转化为实体经济效益的重要途径。当前，我国研究型大学技术转移渠道不畅、技术转移绩效不高、大学科技成果成功产业化“最后一公里”问题凸显。基于现实需求和研究缺口，构建组织模块化对研究型大学技术转移绩效影响的理论模型。在此基础上，收集我国38所研究型大学样本数据，采用SPSS24.0和AMOS软件进行结构方程路径分析，论证和检验组织模块化对于研究型大学技术转移绩效的影响机制。结果表明：组织模块化对研究型大学技术转移绩效具有显著正向影响；技术创新能力在组织模块化与技术转移绩效之间起显著中介作用；知识共享的调节作用主要体现在组织模块化独立性、响应性与技术创新能力之间的关系上，其对组织模块分工性与技术创新能力关系的影响作用不显著。     

Knowledge diffusion and knowledge transfer revisited: two sides of the medal

Understanding the way in which knowledge is interpersonally transferred and how it diffuses over time is of exceptional importance for the economic performance of a society. Although this insight is not new, the link between knowledge transfer and knowledge diffusion so far has not been picked out as a central theme in the relevant research field but instead it seems that it has been treated as a theme on the fringes yet. This paper mainly argues, first, that the speed of knowledge diffusion as well as the shape of the cumulative knowledge diffusion function is governed in most instances by knowledge transfer mechanisms. Second, these knowledge transfer mechanisms differ within and between heterophilic groups who participate in the knowledge transfer process. By perfectly disentangling between and within knowledge transfer mechanisms, the paper in general tries to uncover the link between knowledge diffusion and knowledge transfer within a dynamic model which is embedded in a stochastic environment. The model is able to replicate both, symmetric as well as asymmetric cumulative knowledge diffusion patterns. This is certainly an appealing attribute of the model, because from an empirical point of view there is no clear evidence for the existence of purely symmetric cumulative knowledge diffusion curves. Further, the model can be used directly for empirical investigations.     

To innovate or to transfer?

FDI has been considered by many development economists as an important channel for transfer of technology to developing countries. It is suggested that modern, advanced technologies introduced by multinational firms can diffuse to domestic firms through spillovers. In this paper, we study innovation and technology transfer activities of domestic and foreign firms in Turkish manufacturing industries, and the impact of horizontal, vertical and labor spillovers on these activities. Our analysis shows that foreign firms are more innovative than their domestic counterparts, and transfer technology from abroad (mostly from their parent companies). Horizontal spillovers from foreign firms seem to be insignificant. The effects of foreign firms on technological activities of other firms in vertically related industries are ambiguous. High-tech suppliers tend to have a high rate of innovation when the share of foreign users is high, but the opposite is true for users: high-tech users supplied mainly by foreign firms tend to have a lower rate of innovation. Labor turnover is found to be the main channel of spillovers. Our findings reiterate the importance of tacitness of knowledge, and confirm that technology cannot easily be transferred through passive mechanisms.     

A model of “coupled” technology transfer : A logistic curve approach

This article presents a mathematical model relating to the technology transfer problem. The origin of the problem stems from the existing trade-offs between the strategies of “technological progressiveness” and “static efficiency” employed by firms or countries defined as “leaders” and “followers,” respectively. The formulation of the model is based on the assumption that the technological development of a firm or a country follows a logistic growth curve when related to a specific technology. During the process of a “coupled” technology transfer, the development of the follower changes and its behavior is described by a first order nonhomogenous deferential equation. Different scenarios of the “coupled” technology transfer between the leader and the follower are being discussed.     

中国城市群科技脆弱性波浪收敛规律的定量模拟与验证

伴随城市群发展，各区域以核心城市为中心，不断联合周边城市共同承担区域科技创新风险，从而实现科技系统稳定可持续发展目标。结合几何推导对城市群科技脆弱性波动规律进行分析，运用VHSD—EM法计算城市群及群内城市科技脆弱性，同时，利用ArcGIS10.2进行空间趋势面分析以及分级后的空间格局演化分析，进而对城市群科技风险联合防控需求进行实证分析，最后运用Matlab进行波浪收敛曲线拟合。结果表明：中国城市群科技脆弱性呈波浪性收敛特征并存在联合防控门槛限制，同时，各城市群科技脆弱性收敛曲线相似性较大、模拟效果较好。     

Forecasting technology costs via the experience curve — Myth or magic?

To further understand the effectiveness of experience curves to forecast technology costs, a statistical analysis using historical data is carried out. Three hypotheses are tested using available datasets that together shed light on the historical ability of experience curves to forecast technology costs. The results indicate that the Single Factor Experience Curve is a useful forecasting model when errors are viewed in their log format. Practitioners should note that due to the convexity of the log curve a mean overestimation of potential cost reductions can arise as values are converted into monetary units. Time is also tested as an explanatory variable, however forecasts made with endogenous learning based on cumulative capacity as used in traditional experience curves are shown to be vastly superior. Furthermore the effectiveness of increasing weights for more recent data is tested using Weighted Least Squares with exponentially increasing weights. This results in forecasts that are less biased, though have increased spread when compared to Ordinary Least Squares.     

资金供给、技术能力与技术转移绩效——国家重点研发计划多群组结构方程模型分析

国家重点研发计划对全产业链的强调使得研究其技术转移尤为必要。参考资源基础理论和动态能力理论，构建“资金供给—技术积累规模—技术转移能力—技术转移绩效”国家重点研发计划技术转移模型。应用结构方程模型进行检验，使用多群组结构方程模型探讨不同研究项目各因素对技术转移绩效的不同影响。结果发现：(1)国家重点研发计划技术转移绩效总体处于较高水平；(2)技术转移能力是国家重点研发计划技术转移绩效最直接、最有力的影响因素，资金供给是技术转移绩效的重要支撑；(3)技术积累规模难以直接影响技术转移绩效，但在技术转移绩效影响机理中发挥重要传导作用，是技术转移的基础性技术资源；(4)不同项目类型影响效应存在显著差异。研究结论可为政府、项目参与单位、首席科学家和普通参与者有效促进科技项目技术转移提供参考依据。