The Commercialisation Process of Intellectual Properties by the UK Universities.

• Main Authors: Abdul Majid, Izaidin, Ismail, Kamariah, Wan Omar, Wan Zaidi
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11616/1/The_commercialisation_process_kamariah.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11616/

Introduction The university commercialisation process and how the decision making has been done to commercialised and to patent have not been studied intensively. This paper is attempted to understand in detail the process of commercialisation from the initial scientific discovery and who has made the decision to the choice of commercialisation route. Methodology To understand the process, interviewed with seven Directors of Technology Transfer Office (TTO) in UK universities had been conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Nvivo software. A case and cross case analysis have been done to understand the process. Finding The result of the study shows that there are similiarities and differences between universties in how they decide to patent and in the route to exploitation. All the universities did not scout for invention disclosure and inventors are encouraged to disclose to TTO. Most of the universities TTO and the inventors discussed the potential of the inventions to be filed for patent protection. Universities differ on the need to patent the inventions and selection the route for commercialisation. Some universities practice very high and low selective procedure. The inventions that have potential market only will be patented and commercialised for the universities that practice highly selective procedure. For the low selective universities they patented as long as the inventions fulfills the creteria and expected to have potential value. The decision which route to commercialse are sought after the inventions are filed for patent protection. Some universities practice the last resort when a licensee is not available. Only one university practice systematic selection procedure which invention needs to patent and which route to commercialised. Most of the universities are based on motivation of the inventors to patent and commercialised their inventions. Implication The finding of the study will understand the process of commercialisation to enhance the effectiveness of the process and benefit to policy makers and TTO universities.