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Evaluation framework for Federal technology transfer initiatives

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Abstract

Improved efforts to transfer the results of Federally-sponsored R&D to industry are cited often as an approach to help reverse declines in the rate of growth of U.S. industrial productivity and in the international competitiveness of certain industry sectors. As taxpayers and policy makers intensify their demands for accountability of public expenditures, technology transfer advocates must develop and apply analytic approaches which will measure the significant short and long-range impacts of Federally-sponsored programs, even though these impacts are especially difficult to measure directly.

This paper suggests a framework for evaluating Federal technology transfer in terms of short and long range goals and outputs. It outlines critical determinants of program success and suggests performance indicators through which results could be measured.

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O'Brien, T.C., Franks, L.M. Evaluation framework for Federal technology transfer initiatives. J Technol Transfer 6, 73–86 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02173261

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