Developing a comprehensive framework to measure, compare and predict Academic

Research Translation Capability of S&T Universities in Japan: A ‘Scientometric’ Approach

Executive Summary
The main purpose of this research project is to develop a comprehensive framework to accurately
measure ‘Academic Research Translation Capability’ of S&T Universities in Japan. This capability
possessed by a scientific research-driven organization (university/institute) can be defined as - an ability of
an academic organization to translate its scientific research from its labs to the market through various
mechanisms such as license transfer, joint/ sponsored research collaborations or venture incubation (early
~ late stage) etc. for the benefit of the society. Accordingly, the five sub-dimensions of this capability are
(1) Scientific Research Capability (2) Scientific Venturing (Early-stage) Capability (3) Technology
Licensing Capability (4) Industry-Academia Match-making Capability (5) Scientific Incubation Capability.
This framework allows the most simplistic modus-operandi of S&T Universities in Japan, in terms of their
academic technology transfer. However, this model can also be used to measure, compare and predict
Academic Research Translation Capability of S&T Universities, around the world.
A scientometric approach allowed us to create a list of key performance indicators (KPIs) to
‘qualitatively’ as well as ‘quantitatively’ measure the ‘Academic Research Translation Capability’ of top
12 S&T National Universities in Japan. Three indicators were used to measure each of the five sub-
dimensions which helped in creating a comprehensive list of 15 key performance indicators which can be
used to assess the performance of S&T universities universally, in terms of their ability to transfer their
research from lab to market. The comprehensive framework also consists of a multilevel conceptual model
to predict the ‘Academic Research Translation Capability’- the dependent variable operating at an
organizational level. This dependent variable can be predicted through five predictors (3 organizational
level, 1 team-level, 1 Individual level) and two mediating variables (organizational level). The
organizational level mediators are – (1) Patronage (Enabling effect) (2) Parochialism (Inhibiting effect)
while the predictors are (a) organizational level – (1) Projects (2) Partnerships (3) Pool of Funds where as
team-level predictor is – (4) Practices for managing R&D teams and individual-level predictor is –
(5)Performer (Characteristics of a star scientist who develops innovative technologies).
In order to empirically validate this conceptual model we are currently collecting data through an
online survey. Data is being collected from some of the top public as well as private universities in Japan
which are involved in cutting-edge research in science and technology domain. We aspire to reach out to
a minimum of 400 experts belonging to two categories : (1) Technology Developers : Lead Scientists, Post-
doctoral students and Doctoral students (2) Technology Transfer Experts associated with – Technology
Licensing, Intellectual Property Management, Industry-Academia Collaboration, Venture Incubation and
Funding centers. Successful technology transfer depends on a smooth collaboration between both these
kind of experts. The collected data will be statistically analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM. The analysis will help us in finding out the relative influence of
each of the predictors on the dependent variable. It will also reveal the most dominant combination of
factors which will significantly influence the ‘Academic Research Translation Capability’ of S&T
universities in Japan. These results can also be useful for creating policies at organizational level, national
level and even global level to improve the success rate of transferring research from lab to the market. Due
to the universal nature of the framework it can be applied to any research-driven organization operating in
any field of science and technology, irrespective of its geographical location. It can also be used to diagnose
bottlenecks in the existing systems for technology transfer from academia to industry. Policy makers at
various levels, may find this framework to be useful in terms of conceptualizing, comparing and creating
‘best practices’ in transferring academic research from lab to market.