'We are a Motley Crew': Exploring the Careers of Men and Women Working at the University-Industry Interface

• Autores: Juliane Achatz, Stefan Fuchs, Corinna Kleinert, Simon Roßmann
• Localización: Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, ISSN-e 0718-2724, Vol. 5, Nº. 1, 2010, págs. 75-84
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Entrepreneurial activities of faculty have received increasing research attention. In contrast, little is known about the careers and activities of the women and men working at the university-industry interface. To close this gap, in this paper we address technology transfer as an emerging occupational field and examine the careers of people working in the field.

    Taking the example of Germany, we show that on the surface technology transfer is almost perfectly gender balanced, but marked gender differences exist between and within transfer organizations. Against this background, we find a �motley crew� with a diversity of disciplinary backgrounds and professional experiences. While women often consider working in technology transfer as temporary in nature and �second best� when compared to a science career, men approach their career in an entrepreneurial spirit. Our results also suggest that women�s opportunities and gains are fragile because of the still transitory nature of the field.