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chapter 25, University Research and the Optics Industry

Editor(s): José Miguel López-Higuera, Brian Culshaw
PM182 Cover Image
Author(s): Faramarz Farahi
Published: 21 March 2008
Chapter Page Count: 8 pages
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Excerpt

The structure and management of the interaction between the academic community and the high-technology entrepreneur will continue to become increasingly important and will substantially enrich the societies and communities within which it is successfully implemented. The research universities have played a large role through their students and faculty in establishing start-up companies. In this chapter, an analysis is presented of the key factors for optimizing the transference results by means of the creation of new photonic companies.

25.1 Introduction

Throughout the world, and particularly in the United States, small businesses play a major role in economic growth. In developed countries, one significant area for small-business development is in science and technology. In this area, research universities have played a large role through their students and faculty in establishing start-up companies. Many examples support this assertion. Spinning off new ventures from research institutions has played a key role in the development of high-technology clusters in areas such as Silicon Valley and Boston. It is also believed that university research affects private-sector innovation. Little is understood about either the specific channels through which these effects occur or their impact among various industries. However, it is obvious that public research affects industrial R&D in a wide variety of manufacturing industries, and publications and conferences are the most important knowledge-flow channels for these effects in most industries.

Before academic research results can be commercialized, the technology or knowledge has to be transferred from the research organization to industrial/commercial entities; this process is called technology transfer. Any managed technology-transfer activity is likely to be both costly and peripheral to the main purpose of the university, which is to develop and disseminate knowledge. This activity also requires a different form of managerial structure and style than is inherent in the institution.



©2008 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
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BOOK DATA

Print ISBN:

9780819471802

eISBN:

9780819478429

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