Chapter 5: University Technology Transfer in China: How Effective are National Centers?^☆

A. C. Corbett, J. A. Katz, and D. S. Siegel (Eds.), Academic Entrepreneurship: Creating an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (Vol. 16 in Advances in Entrepreneurship, Firm Emergence and Growth). This chapter is a substantially more developed version of Mingfeng Tang, “Technology Transfer from University to Industry: Insight into University Technology Transfer Under the Chinese National Innovation System,” Chapter 8 in Adonis & Abbey Publisher Ltd., UK, 2009.

University–industry technology transfer is growing at a rapid rate in China, involving both multinational and domestic companies. This chapter describes unique characteristics of Chinese National Technology Transfer Centers (NTTCs) and examines whether they can function as an effective policy instrument in promoting the commercialization of university research findings. Our qualitative and quantitative study finds that NTTCs are not by themselves an effective policy tool in accelerating the commercialization of university inventions. We found that universities without NTTCs can achieve the same or even greater success than those with NTTCs. We suggest that Chinese universities should mimic the Western approach by providing an attractive reward system and autonomy to technology management programs that stimulate their efforts in marketing patented technology.