Foreign experience of technology transfer and its application in Russia

During the current period of economic globalization the role of scientific research, formation and implementation of new mechanism technologies, and methods of stable economic development is increasing. Technology transfer is one of the main components of economic development. The extent of countries’ involvement in the process mostly defines the possibilities of their technological progress and competitiveness. At present, great interest in technology transfer in Russia is linked not only with the improvement of market relations in the economy, but also the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization. In order to characterize the development of science and innovation, the term of scientific and innovation potential is widely used in national and foreign practice.

For evaluating innovation development, domestic and foreign practice uses the notion of scientific and innovation potential. The analytic subdivision of the journal “Economist Intelligence Unit” worked out the system of indicators of innovation activity and integral index of innovation development that comprises many factors. [1]. The survey has been held since 2007, and at the moment it provides the most complete set of indicators of innovative development in different countries of the world.

In 2012, the international business school INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization submitted analytical report “Global innovation index of 2012”. The survey covered 141 countries, which produce 99.4% of the global GDP [2].

In 2012 Russia ranked 51st in the list (tab.1) , moving 6 points up as compared to 2011. However this position is far from desirable.

According to 2012 results, the rating of the countries by the level of innovation capabilities is headed by Switzerland; Sweden and Singapore are still among the top three countries.

The report notes [2] that BRIC countries should continue to invest in the development of innovations, to bring out their potential to the fullest extent.

Table 1. Global innovation index of some countries in 2012

Rating	Country	Index	Rating	Country	Index	Rating	Country	Index
1	Switzerland	68.2	10	USA	57.7	54	South Africa	37.4
2	Sweden	64.8	15	Germany	56.2	58	Brazil	36.6
3	Singapore	63.5	25	Japan	51.7	63	Ukraine	36.1
4	Finland	61.8	34	China	45.4	64	India	35.7
5	Great Britain	61.2	51	Russia	37.9	78	Belarus	32.9

China is second only to Switzerland, Sweden, Singapore and Finland according to the indicators of knowledge and technology development, however, like India, it has its weak points in innovation infrastructure.

In this respect, it is expedient to consider the experience of Sweden and Switzerland, the leading countries in technology transfer according to the level of innovation capacity and performance.

The main feature of a typical Western technology transfer centre (TTC) consists in the creation of a complete innovation chain, allowing a project to be developed from an idea to a small enterprise with growth prospects. TTC work according to a standard scheme. At the initial stage, the demand for this technology on the market is evaluated, the options for protection are checked. After the research is finished, a detailed marketing analysis is carried out, including the search for potential customers. If the development is considered to be promising, then the key point is to make up a patent application and receive a patent. The next stage is the decision on the transfer option: the issuance of a license, the creation of a subsidiary or joint venture, the sale of the patent. If a scientist decides to develop an enterprise on his/ her own, TCC will help him/her to work out a business plan, register the company, calculate the cost, find suppliers and customers, etc.

In the world practice most universities determine potential intellectual property rights and the distribution of license income between the university, department, inventor and centres. TTC receives 30% of the net license income, which is directed to cover patent costs and other legal costs for property management. At the same time, the economic benefit from TTC activities consists not so much in making profit, as in creating new small and mediumsized enterprises, well-paid jobs for highly qualified personnel, and also in increasing tax revenues of the budget in the course of commercialization.

Independent technology transfer centres, as well as those created on the basis of universities, are united in the networks of technology transfer and support to innovation business. For example, at present, the European network for business support (Enterprise Europe Network – EEN) unites about 250 syndicates, 600 organizations from 50 countries [8]. They provide enterprises with integrated support to business and innovations development, including information services, support to business cooperatives, internationalization of enterprises, knowledge and technologies transfer, participation of small and medium businesses in the European Union framework programmes.

In the early 1990s the U.S. established the National Technology Transfer Network consisting of the principle national technology transfer centre and six regional centres located in the different parts of the country. The general supervision over their activities is entrusted to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that is aimed to enhance economic performance of the implemented large-scale space projects. The network is of national importance and it provides the necessary support in technology transfer to other interested departments.

All this boosted technology transfer activities at all levels. Positive effects include the increase in the number of applications for inventions involving federal laboratories, the increase in the number of granted patents and the increase of private sector expenditures on scientific research in universities.

Local authorities, first of all, the governments of the Lander take active part in technology transfer. In particular, they contribute a lot to the establishment of science parks and innovation centres, considering this activity a most important direction in solving regional development problems.

Many of the state-subsidized intermediaries depend on the financial assistance of third parties as well, and, in order to stay afloat, they explore a broader segment of the market besides the market of technology transfer services. A great number of such agencies, for example, provide the services on organizing training seminars, trade exhibitions and financial consultations, using public promotional programmes. This is why, transfer agencies differ in their structure. In Germany there are over 190 transfer agencies and several hundred other sources of technological information [10] (business-incubators, demonstration and application centres, technology transfer departments under universities, the National Research Centre, the Fraunhofer Society, the Max Planck society, etc.).

The Japanese experience in establishing TTC is also noteworthy, since the country has achieved significant progress in the field of science and industry integration and reflected its cultural traditions in the choice of technology transfer type. The Japanese system of supporting the appropriate level of technology transfer is quite efficient.

The Japanese innovation model has the following structural elements:

• a)    a clear planning system has been formed (since 1996 the five-year plans for science and technology have been implemented, the so-called Science and Technology Basic Plan, in the framework of which there is a separate strategic programme “Intellectual property”, as well as a comprehensive strategy for the promotion of science);

• b)    venture business laboratories in 45 universities have been established;

• c)    the agency for science and technologies, the society for the promotion of science have been formed;

• d)    a comprehensive interaction mechanism “industry – academic science – government” is being implemented [12].

In China in 1998, technology transfer centres existed only in Tsinghua University and Peking University. At present, every major research university has a technology transfer department, initially financed by the Chinese

Government from the total funds allocated to the university by the Government. This model of TTC funding has been changing in recent years. Today, the majority of TTC function as associated private companies, owned exclusively by universities [3].

The current Russian innovation system follows the Soviet approach to innovation, which can be described as “building on technology”

• [5]. It envisages such phases as: research and development, pilot production, industrial production, marketing.

The “building on technology” model has several weaknesses. Firstly, it requires significant volumes of investments in a large number of potential innovation processes, only few of which will reach the market stage. Secondly, the “building on technology” focuses on the initial research stage of innovation activities when there is a high risk of scientific work becoming an end in itself. Thirdly, technological process, essentially, starts from scratch and ignores the lessons learned in other areas of activity.

There are two main complementary ways of improving technology transfer and accelerating the innovation process in Russia. The first one envisages the creation of new organizations (or “organizational structures” such as networks and partnerships) for the association and cooperation of existing organizations in order to implement technology transfer.

The second one consists in the creation of efficient tools and mechanisms managing and supporting the interaction between innovation organizations. This includes, for example, a contractual base of intellectual property licensing, the use of contracts, etc. In practice, both approaches are often used simultaneously: in order to license technologies efficiently, many universities and research institutions create technology licensing offices or technology transfer offices.

In recent years the development of the market of technology transfer and commercialization in Russia has received significant information, material and resource support. The main initiatives in the science and technology development have been recognized by the wide scientific community. To illustrate the development of a new market in the country, we can mention the following:

– creation of the databases of scientific and scientific-technological projects, which are based on innovations;

– carrying out the state-subsidized annual selection of promising innovation projects having patent clearance and industrial applicability;

– implementation of activities aimed at explaining the importance of intellectual property rights to the objects created as a result of such projects implementation;

– adoption of the laws on special economic zones, focus on the organization of technology parks in these particular regions [6].

However, the development of innovation economy requires not only an innovation component, but also financial, administrative and marketing infrastructure. Now the RF Government proposes the establishment of several state venture funds that will invest in high-tech enterprises. Such a decision can be relatively efficient. But in order to get high performance, private financial institutions should be also involved, as they can work more efficiently than government venture capital funds.

A complex investment, marketing and management support to the projects of commercialization and technology transfer is a promising direction of the activities for private financial organizations. In this case, the process of technology transfer is considered as part of commercialization process, one of its components, necessary for the promotion of science-intensive, innovation products both on the domestic and international markets. At that, export is particularly important: the expansion of export structure due to the transfer of domestic high technologies creates the conditions for long-term international cooperation. Establishment of the balanced system of technology transfer in Russia will provide a reliable barrier for selling abroad our latest technologies for a song. A Russian developer gets access to foreign investment and acquires the experience of international cooperation necessary for the development of domestic production.

Thus, the development of the country’s economy requires the increase of the pace of unique and progressive technologies transfer, the attraction of financial resources for boosting innovation activity. At that, the introduction of innovations at enterprises should be arranged on a systemic basis.