Building relationships for technology transfer

Build mutual respect and trust. Attention to creating, reinforcing, and maintaining respect and trust is implicit in all the strategies for successful transfer. For example, respect and trust, especially if not present and not recognized as missing, can be especially critical for software technology transfer. Researchers tend to have a long-term perspective with a focus on generic values. Developers focus on specific short-term, time-to-market concerns. These differing values are not right or wrong but exist appropriately within each culture. Difficulties in communication may arise from failing to recognize and accommodate differences in values.