JOURNAL OF MARKETING DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS
Commercialisation of University Patents: A Case Study
Author(s): Kamariah Ismail, Izaidin Abdul Majid, Wan Zaidi Wan Omar
Citation: Kamariah Ismail, Izaidin Abdul Majid, Wan Zaidi Wan Omar, (2011) "Commercialisation of University Patents: A Case Study" Vol. 5, Iss. 5, pp. 80 - 91
Article Type: Research paper
Publisher: North American Business Press
Abstract:
The primary aim of this paper is to explain why some patents are exploited, through, spin-off formations
and/or through licensing to established companies, while others are not. The study employed qualitative
methods incorporating a case study approach of 22 patents from a portfolio of 82 patents from a
university in Scotland. Interviews with the TTO director of the University and seven other universities
TTO Directors were also conducted. Whether a patent is commercially exploited, and the way in which it
is exploited is influenced by three main factors: (i) the entrepreneurs and the inventors, their
characteristics and motivations; (ii) the characteristics and nature of the technologies; and (iii) the
TTOs’ lack of resources and a due diligence system. The study suggests for how TTOs can enhance their
decision-making process, regarding which discoveries to patent in order to improve the overall
effectiveness of commercialisation process in universities.