Academic Engagement and the External Patenting of University Inventions

The external patenting of inventions developed with the use of university resources determines a loss of financial resources that a university could invest in future research or teaching activities. This paper analyzes the relationship between academic engagement and external patenting of university inventions at the international level. We carry out a multivariate regression analysis based on a logit estimator that draws upon survey and archival data concerning more than 500 research projects spawning a patent application. The results show that patents developed in the context of direct scientist-firm relationships are more likely to be commercialized through non-university channels. The provision of outcome-based rewards to get university scientists involved in technology transfer and the pursuit of research partnership at the organizational level mitigate the effect of academic engagement on external patenting.