TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROCESSES FROM INDIAN PUBLIC FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS TO INDUSTRIES

The objective of this paper is to study the various Technology Transfers and its commercialization followed by various public funded Research and Development institutions in India. More specifically, this paper also examined and highlighted the challenges faced by the Research and Development institutions and industries. Technology Transfer is the complete process which enables the disclosure of advancement in Science and Technology. Research institutions and their industry partnership in the field of science and technology is complex and needs to be developed through customized model and mechanisms. The protection and the licensing mechanism of intellectual property rights at such institutions are the focus of attention of the policy makers at all levels. Over the last 50 years, Government Research institutions (GRES) have played a major role in developing science and technology in the country. They have supported a variety of government initiatives and functions by proving basic and applied research, technological development and engineering solutions. Successful technological development requires a deep understanding of the technical context of applications and relies on the organizations culture and environment in which scientists, engineers and technicians often coming from different disciplines work and interact. Therefore, an organization's learning base is not only the sum of its individual employees, there is also addition by the “organizational knowhow''. In view of the above, a detailed commercialization process followed by Indian Research and Development institutions has been studied and the success of such technology transfer analysis and commercialization has been reviewed with reference to controlling parameters. The effort of technology development is complete only when it is adopted or adapted by the end user as a product suitable for commercial applications. It is most important that the research organization needs to understand industry or work in close collaboration with the industry. To enhance linkages between research institutions and industry, one should augment market driven research and assign value to innovative research. Universities and Research and Development institutions should have initiated technology transfer and commercialization efforts. Public Sector Research and Development institutions should take special initiative to bring forth a multitude of benefits to society and generate a model that needs to be promulgated in emerging economies especially utilizing our indigenous resources. This paper presents major five Indian public funded Research and Development institutions, their Technology Transfer models involving their unique approaches for commercialization of products that assured overall benefit to the society while simultaneously promoting the Indian economy.