Are Spanish TTOs Prepared to Innovation in a COVID Context?

Tamara Rodríguez-González, Mercedes Villanueva-Flores, Mariluz Fernández-Alles and Mirta Díaz-Fernández
Additional contact information
Tamara Rodríguez-González: Business Organisation Department, University of Cadiz, 11002 Cadiz, Spain
Mercedes Villanueva-Flores: Business Organisation Department, University of Cadiz, 11002 Cadiz, Spain
Mariluz Fernández-Alles: Business Organisation Department, University of Cadiz, 11002 Cadiz, Spain
Mirta Díaz-Fernández: Business Organisation and Marketing Department, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013 Seville, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-20

Abstract: The analysis of the characteristics of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) is particularly important as they constitute mediating units in the relationship between the market and university research. They are responsible for the transfer and exploitation of knowledge arising in the university context. Previous studies have been inconclusive as to the importance that the size, professionalisation or age of TTOs might have on the transfer process. However, the need to explore new markets, recognise new opportunities and identify potential customers points to the importance of TTOs having a dual exploitative and exploratory orientation and an extensive relational network. More recent research in the literature, based on ambidexterity and network theory, points to the impact that these variables could have on change management and innovation in uncertain and changing environments, such as those faced by TTOs in the current pandemic context. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyse whether Spanish TTOs, due to their ambidextrous orientation at the organisational and individual level, and their relational network with academic and market actors, are prepared to promote innovation in a COVID-19 context. Based on a cluster analysis of 29 Spanish TTOs, our results show that just a few of the Spanish TTOs surveyed would be prepared, from the perspective of ambidexterity and their relational capital, to promote innovation in a COVID-19 context. In conclusion, Spanish TTOs and their employees should focus more on ambidexterity and building extensive relational capital so that, through mentoring, training, incubation or the provision of various resources, they can help academics take advantage of the innovation opportunities offered by the changing and uncertain environment.

Keywords: TTOs; ambidexterity; network theory; market actors; academic actors; cluster analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/8688/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/16/8688/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:16:p:8688-:d:607992

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().