WHOI-90-52

An Overview of Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Management Between
Marie Science Resrch Initutions and the Commercial Sectol-°
Hauke Kite-Powell and Porter Hoagland III
Marne Policy Center
Woos Hole Oceaographic Institution
In this paper, we examine nonprofit/commercial interactions in the field of ocography, using
the Woos Hole Ocographic Institution (WOI) as an example. The technology transfer and
intellectual property management policies and practices of WHOI are examined and compared
to those of universities, federally. funded R&D centers, and nonprofit scientific organizations in
other fields of resech endeavor.
By way of introduction, we outline a number of issues that face nonprofit resech institutions
when they consider ways to enhance tehnology transfer. These issues are not necssaly novel,
but they may be reciving renewed attention as a result of changing national trends in resech
sponsorship (a growing share of private vs. public funding for R&D) or modifications of
government policies (patent law changes, ta code amendments, and federal tehnology trsfer
policy changes). The pursuit of private funding in the present time of tight public budgets is
leading many nonprofit resech institutions to look more closely at technology transfer as a
potential source of revenue. These and other changes in the marne technology development
climate are described in greater detal in Broadus, Hoagland and Kite-Powell (1988).
Technology Transfer: Issues an Ouestions
Conflcts gf interest: The potential for conflcts of interest in interactions between resech
institutions and the commercial setor depends strongly on three parameters: the legal
environment, the goals of the individual institution, and the "norms" of scientific resech.
Conflcts of interest may involve the channels of disclosure for resech results, the modification
of reseach directions at nonprofit institutions by scientists who also have interests in related
private ventures, the relative weights of scientific merit and commercial payoffs in the selection
of resech topics, etc.
20 The contents of this paper are abstrcte from a working paper on technology trasfer and
intellectual property management in the field of ocography by Hoagland and Kite-Powell
(1989).
40