The Technology Transfer of the Italian Public Research System: the Case of the National Research Council of Italy

This paper deals with the technology transfer activities of the main public research institution in Italy, the Italian Research Council, CNR. A comparative analysis on patenting and licensing performances between CNR and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT has been carried out. Findings show that: research expenses being equal, CNR patents are 26% of MIT•s; and, patents being equal, CNR licenses are also 26% of MIT•s. This means that CNR impact on domestic competitiveness, in terms of patent licenses, is less than 7% of MIT•s. Moreover, while 83% of CNR patents are never licensed to domestic industry, the Italian technology balance of payments shows a perennial deficit. The paper concludes with the identification of the possible causes that may explain such a gap.

[1]  Andrea D'Angelo,et al.  La ricerca pubblica in Italia: per chi suona la campana? , 2005 .

[2]  Arvids A. Ziedonis,et al.  The growth of patenting and licensing by U.S. universities: an assessment of the effects of the Bayh–Dole act of 1980 , 2001 .

[3]  Our Special Correspondent.  The Organization of Science , 1915, Science.

[4]  R. Nelson,et al.  American Universities and Technical Advance in Industry , 1994 .

[5]  Nathan Rosenberg,et al.  Special Issue on University Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer: How Do University Inventions Get Into Practice? , 2002, Manag. Sci..

[6]  Andrea Piccaluga,et al.  Attività brevettuale degli enti pubblici di ricerca italiani. Un'analisi sul periodo 1982-2001 , 2001 .

[7]  Gregory Tassey,et al.  The functions of technology infrastructure in a competitive economy , 1991 .

[8]  Giovanni Abramo.  Il sistema ricerca in Italia. Il nodo del trasferimento tecnologico , 1998 .

[9]  R. Geiger.  Research and Relevant Knowledge: American Research Universities Since World War II , 1994 .

[10]  M. Sharp,et al.  Technology Policy in the European Union , 1998 .

[11]  Marco Sabbadin.  Links and impacts: the influence of public research on industrial R&D , 2016 .

[12]  John P. Walsh,et al.  Special Issue on University Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer: Links and Impacts: The Influence of Public Research on Industrial R&D , 2002, Manag. Sci..

[13]  D. Mowery,et al.  The Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 and University–Industry Technology Transfer: A Model for Other OECD Governments? , 2004 .

[14]  Giorgio Sirilli.  THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF ITALY , .

[15]  R. Nelson.  The market economy, and the scientific commons , 2004 .

[16]  Lori Pressman,et al.  Pre-Production Investment and Jobs Induced by MIT Exclusive Patent Licenses: A Preliminary Model to Measure the Economic Impact of University Licensing , 2005 .

[17]  Julian Lowe,et al.  Commercialization of university research: A policy perspective , 1993 .

[18]  A. Link,et al.  Assessing the Impact of Organizational Practices on the Productivity of University Technology Transfer Offices : An Exploratory Study # , 1999 .

[19]  John E. Brandl,et al.  Pasteur's Quadrant: Basic science and technological innovation , 1998 .

[20]  Roberto Mazzoleni,et al.  How Do University Inventions Get into Practice ? , 2000 .