Technology transfer as driver of smart growth: A Quadruple / Quintuple innovation framework approach

In recent years, increased attention is being given to the concept of knowledge and its management implications for the future of business. Today, these works are also influenced by the recent developments in technology transfer, seen as a ‘pathway’ for accelerating economic system growth and advancement. Starting from these preliminary reflections, this research consists in a proposed system for classifying international literature on the topic of Knowledge and Technology Transfer (K&T2). The links connecting the various works is re-interpreted - including through several case studies - in the context of the Quadruple / Quintuple Innovation Helix Framework (Carayannis et al., 2015a; 2016b), outlining the possible implications of a change in perspective for traditional models. The proposed reflections are the first step whereby management studies can be used to define new models and instruments for managing the complex relationship between Knowledge and Technology Transfer in the multi-actor knowledge era. For professional communities, these reflections offer useful indications on how to define management models that can help them to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of context and, therefore, introduce better means of governance. A new and different approach to technology transfer is proposed in this paper. Technology transfer is analyzed not only in terms of the practical implications of knowledge management, but also by highlighting the two-way relationship between knowledge and technology, together with the need to develop a common model for the actors involved in the processes of generation and transfer. This model can be used to increase the positive effects of the processes on company dynamics and to address the issues of increased scarcity of resources and greater competitive rivalry.