University's patterns of resource consumption for specific technology transfer portfolios

What is it about?

We argue that universities are heterogeneous, have different competences and capabilities and respond to different strategic choices, resources and territorial realities. Accordingly, they may show: (i) different combinations of technology transfer (TT) outcomes - TT portfolios might vary from one institution to another; and (ii) use a different combination of inputs (or resources). Using qualitative comparative analysis and adopting a resource-based view, we analyse alternative consumption patterns displayed by universities in providing society with different TT portfolios. The empirical application considers the Spanish higher education system.

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Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Results indicate that the competitive advantage of Spanish universities do not rely on specific resources (resources are substitutable), but on the way they combine them. Consequently, there is no unique formula of resource consumption that leads to a specific portfolio of Technology Transfer (TT) outcomes. These results have a number of implicaions. First,, to develop competitive advantages Spanish public universities must resort to internal intangible resources or specific and inimitable combinations of the available resources. Second, depending on the type of resources that is most relevant in the university’s production process, the effectiveness of university policies is expected to vary by university. And last but not least, since Spanish universities are heterogeneous and display different TT portfolios they address the needs of different users.