University technology transfer offices' capabilities in responding to societal challenges: lessons from an exploratory study during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Over the last decades, the University Technology Transfer Offices (UTTOs) literature has focused on how technology transfer contributes to economic development and only a few studies have focused on social development. This study explores how UTTOs transform into ambidextrous organizations capable of simultaneously addressing economic and social challenges, during external crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, we explore which dynamic capabilities and strategies should be developed or reconfigured by UTTOs to respond to complex societal challenges. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 20 UTTO officials from universities across Europe, North America, and Latin America, carried out in 2020 and 2021. Our findings show that UTTOs reconfigured their dynamic capabilities and implemented inclusive strategies, such as flexible intellectual property models, inclusive technology transfer practices, and newmetrics that integrate social value. These adaptations enable UTTOs to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic by facilitating the translation of impactful technologies to societal needs. We propose a theoretical framework that incorporates the role of dynamic capabilities—sensing, seizing, and transforming—into how UTTOs align economic and social goals by translating knowledge-creation processes to make discoveries that address social needs and financial opportunities. This study highlights some strategic implications based on the emergence of ambidextrous UTTOs, which focus on simultaneously driving both economic and social impacts.