Nora Sydow

Is There Any Impact of University-Industry Knowledge Transfer on the Performance of Private Enterprises? - An Empirical Analysis Based on Swiss Firm Data

This study investigates the impacts of a palette of Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT) activities (general information, educational and research activities, activities related with technical infrastructure, and consulting) (a) on several innovation indicators (a1) in the framework of an innovation equation with variables of endogenized KTT activities (overall activities, specific forms of activities) as additional determinants of innovation, and (a2) based on a matched-pairs analysis for several forms of KTT activities; (b) on labour productivity in the framework of a production function with endogenized KTT activities as an additional production factor. The data used in the study were collected by means of a survey of Swiss enterprises that took place at the beginning of 2005. We found that KTT activities improve the innovation performance of firms both in terms of R&D intensity and sales of innovative products. The positive effect of overall KTT activities can be traced back mainly to research and educational activities. This could be shown by several methods: the innovation equation approach with endogenized KTT variable as well as three matching methods. Further, KTT activities seem to exercise a positive influence on labour productivity both through a direct effect as well as through an indirect effect by raising the elasticity of R&D intensity with respect to labour productivity.

Impact of Swiss technology policy on firm innovation performance: an evaluation based on a matching approach

This paper investigates the impact of the promotional activities of the Swiss Commission of Technology and Innovation (CTI) on the innovation performance of the supported firms based on a matched-pairs analysis of 199 firms supported by the CTI in the period 2000–2002. CTIs promotional activities significantly improved the innovation performance of the firms that they supported with respect to six different measures of innovation performance. This could be shown by four different matching methods. A further finding was that the magnitude of the impact correlated positively with the relative size of the financial support, as measured by the quotient of the volume of financial support to the volume of a supported firms own research and development expenditures. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Knowledge and Technology Transfer (Ktt) Activities between Universities and Firms in Switzerland: The Main Facts - an Empirical Analysis Based on Firm-Level Data

This study is part of a large project aiming at the investigation of a) extent and b) economic relevance of knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) between science institutions (universities, universities of applied science and other public research institutions) and private corporations. Under knowledge and technology transfer we understand very broadly any activities targeted at transferring knowledge and technology that may help a company or a research institution - depending on the direction of the transfer - to further promote its activities. In this paper we report on the results of a large postal survey of Swiss enterprises based on a questionnaire on the exchange of knowledge and technology with Swiss universities and other research institutions. The survey was addressed to about 6000 firms from all sectors of the economy (with exception of hotels/catering, retail trade, transportation and personal services) and from different size classes. We received answers from 2582 firms, i.e., 45.4% of the firms in the underlying sample. In this paper we undertake a characterisation of KTT activities from a firms point of view: - Which are the main characteristics of firms conducting KTT (e.g., size, industry, RD what is the relative importance of such forms? - Which are the most important transfer channels (publications, patents, licenses, spinoffs) and intermediating organisations (technology transfer offices, KTI, SNF, etc.)? - Which are the most relevant transfer partners among the universities and other research institutions? - Which are the most important motives for KTT activities (e.g., financial motives, access to academic knowledge, institutional motives, etc.)? - Which are the most important impediments of KTT activities (lack of information, lack of conditions necessary for know-how transfer, costs and risks, etc.)?

University-Industry Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Switzerland: The University View

This descriptive paper is part of a large project aiming at exploring the factors determining the propensity of Swiss science institutions to interact with private enterprises in Switzerland (universities and other research institution), i.e. to get involved in knowledge and technology transfer (KTT) activities. On the other hand, a second part of this project investigates the factors determining the propensity of Swiss private enterprises for KTT activities. We are especially interested in the different forms of this interaction, not only through joint research projects but also through training, mobility of academic personnel, jointly supervised master theses and PhDs, consulting and so on. Further, our study investigates the channels of KTT such as e.g. scientific publications, patents, spin-offs as well as the mediating institutions (e.g. Technology Transfer Offices, Commission for Technology and Innovation (KTI), Swiss Research Foundation (SNF)). We also discuss the relative importance of a series of motives for and impediments of KTT activities. Finally, we take also a look at the impact of KTT activities on the research orientation, on teaching and least but not last, the financial position of institutes co-orating with private enterprises.

A Note on the Carlson-Parkin Method of Quantifying Qualitative Data

Qualitative surveys enjoy huge popularity among business cycle analysts and research institutes since they provide fast information on the stance of the economy. However, in order to derive quantitative statements researchers have to rely on assumptions about the relation between quantitative and qualitative information. This paper introduces a micro data set that combines individual quantitative and qualitative information and presents first tests of common assumptions. It suggests a modifcation of the Carlson and Parkin (1975) method and a solution to the zero response problem.

How Effective are the R & D-Promoting Activities of the Swiss Innovation Agency CTI? An Evaluation Based on Matched-pairs Analysis

This book focuses on technological policies, in other words all public interventions intended to influence the intensity, composition and direction of technological innovations within a given entity (region, country or group of countries). The editor has gathered together many of the leading scholars in the field to comprehensively explore numerous avenues and pathways of research. The book sheds light on the theory and practice of technological policies by employing modern analytical tools and economic techniques.