TRANSFER REVENUES OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS (RTOs) IN TIMES OF ECONOMIC CRISIS

Abstract

Profit-oriented transfer activities have become a center piece of STI policies. There is little understanding tough of how companies facing financial headwind re-adjust their knowledge transfer activities in the light of economic downturn. This paper studies influence factors for transfer revenues during the years 2009, 2010 and 2012 in around 1000 Russian Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs). The data shows that in times of crisis, quality-related variables like scientific papers, patents or successful application for competitive research funds were no longer positively correlated to transfer revenues. Also recruitment strategies or long-standing relationships between customer organizations and RTOs had no influence. The paper concludes that RTOs are in a very weak position if economic outlooks are darkening and require public financial support to maintain their ability to continuously provide their services once until the economy will recovers.