InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Programme
Community of Researchers
RESEARCH BRIEFING
DECEMBER 2012
11
Technology Transfer Offices:
Mission Statement Analysis
as Representation of
Strategic Intent
Summary
Authors:
Ciara Fitzgerald,
Michael Smurfit
Graduate Business
School, University
College Dublin,
Dublin, Ireland
James
Cunningham,
J.E. Cairnes School
of Business &
Economics and the
Whitaker Institute,
NUI Galway, Galway
Ireland
A full copy of the paper is available
from authors Ciara.fitzgerald@ucd.
ie or james.cunningham@nuigalway.
ie or a shorter piece on TTO mission
statements was published as a guest
commentary by Technology Transfer
Tactics in September 2011 (see Vol.5,
No. 9, pp. 140-141).
The research team wishes to
gratefully acknowledge the funding
support provided by the Programme
for Research at Third Level
Institution Cycle 4 as part of the Irish
Social Sciences Platform and the
Technology Transfer Offices that
participated in this study.
intertradeireland.com
One of the continual challenges that Technology Transfer Offices
(TTOs) face is articulating their core purpose and mission to
multiple stakeholders. Mission statements can be used to outline
the core purpose of the TTO as to meet or surpass stakeholder
expectations. This requires the TTO to think strategically about
its core purpose. Specifically the mission can be used to design
strategies to meet its core purpose, but also to differentiate
itself from other offices. Little is understood about the strategic
intent of TTOs. Our study, by examining the content of mission
statements of TTOs in Irish universities, finds that mission
statements are strong in some aspects, such as identifying core
products and customers, however self concept, philosophy and
expression of commitment are lacking in the majority of mission
statements. In many instances TTOs assume that their core
primary and secondary stakeholders are familiar with their role
and purpose within their institutions. Often they don’t and the
danger is that TTOs get ‘stuck in the middle’ as Porter described.
Without clarity of purpose, intent and focus this creates
unnecessary confusion among TTO stakeholders and dilutes the
contribution a TTO can make to the future success of a university.
Research Context
All over the world, mission statements have consistently been shown to be a top rated
management tool used by senior managers. There are many reasons for their popularity
including being useful in strategic planning as they help unify stakeholders and they
are regarded as a starting point for strategic analysis in organisations. Indeed TTOs
are increasingly dealing with managing the conflicting expectations of stakeholders.
The result is that TTOs are ever more ‘thinking’ about mission statements that reflect
their multiple roles in the third mission; managing IP; protecting IP; delivering economic
and social return to their university, region and tax payer. Mission statements are
a clear articulation to the internal and external stakeholders of the long-term intent
of an organization. As a result, mission statements can be a powerful strategic tool
for TTOs in sustaining legitimacy and stakeholder relations. Studies have shown
positive associations between mission statements and performance. Therefore it can
be suggested that universities where the TTO has a clear mission and well defined
objectives for stated outcomes are generally more effective in their dedicated areas.
InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Programme
Community of Researchers
Our study examined the content of
mission statements of Irish University
TTOs using a well-regarded typology by
Pearce & David, (1987). Their typology
consists of eight mission statement
components that include; Identification of
Target Customers and Markets; Principal
Products or Services; Geographic
Domain; Use of Technology; Commitment
to Growth; Survival & Profitability; Key
Elements of Organisational Philosophy
and Self-concept; Desired Public Image.
Mission statements were analysed
using Pearce and David’s (1987) 8 item
typology. Although developed two
decades ago, their scheme continues to
be an established framework to analyse
the content of organisational missions.
A coding of 1 was allocated to all the
statements for each mission element
if it was judged as being present in the
mission statement and a coding of 0
was assigned if not present. The content
analysis examined whether or not a
mission statement was readily available
on the university’s web page, the length
of the mission statement, the words as
they appeared in mission statement.
Key Findings
From
our data analysis we identified the
following findings:
• The identification of principal products
and services was evident in 100% of
the missions analysed.
• The specification of target customers
and markets was discussed in 90% of
the missions analysed in our sample.
• The specification of geographic
domain was evident in 20% of the
missions analysed in our sample while
the identification of core technologies
was articulated in 10% of the missions
analysed in our sample.
DECEMBER 2012
• The expression of commitment to
survival, growth and profitability, the
identification of desired public image
and the identification of self-concept
were noted in 20% of the missions in
our sample, while none of the missions
analysed in our sample mentioned the
specification of key elements in the
philosophy.
• As evident from the mission
statements of the TTO, they are in
the early stage of evolution as they
generally lack comprehensiveness
as according to Pearce and David’s
(1987) typology. This is supported by
the language of the mission statements
as the exploitation of intellectual
property, and looking for a return on
investment both from a national and
regional perspective, are recognised.
Furthermore, they are looking to foster
a culture of entrepreneurship. While
the focus is on the outcomes and
benefits to stakeholders, there is a lack
of explicit market making ambitions,
also they lack explicit expression of
their expertise and finally there is no
emphasis on the effectiveness of the
commercialisation mechanisms in their
mission statements.
• Indeed, the missions are strong
in the areas of identification of
principal products/ services, such
as exploitation of IP, and promoting
a culture of entrepreneurship in their
institution and the specification of
target customers and markets , such
as the local and national community.
• However, the findings show the
majority of the sample of mission
statements do not capture other
significant elements of a mission, such
as the expression of commitment to
survival, growth and profitability and the
specification of geographic domain.
• The most challenging of these
elements focused on self concept,
philosophy and expression of
commitment.
Some Recommendations
• From the analysis of the TTO mission
statements, it is clear that the TTOs
are positioning themselves in the right
direction but their mission statements
misrepresent the totality of their role.
• Given that the technology transfer
process in most TTOs has
standardised elements to the process,
the strategic challenge is how does
a TTO differentiate its activities that
meet multiple stakeholder demands
while being utterly dependent on the
quality of research community that
they are based.
• Developing an effective mission
statement that captures intent,
purpose, and activity provides a solid
basis for TTOs that want to avoid
being seen as irrelevant or non-core
in delivering on the mission of their
home institution.
• We recommend there should be a
more realistic view of the TTOs in order
to assess the processes that exist to
spur innovation and commercialisation.
• Therefore, there is a need for coherent
alignment between university ambition
and TTO missions.
• As evident from the content analysis
of the mission statements, much good
work has been achieved. However,
stakeholders need to embrace a more
realistic view of TTOs influence and
role in embracing the third mission.
About us
The InterTradeIreland All-Island Innovation Programme - Community
of Researchers is an initiative to bring together academics, postgraduate students,
policy makers and business people who are interested in innovation in Ireland. We aim
to ‘create a virtual community to strengthen innovation studies research in Ireland and its
contribution to strategy, practice and policy.’ This research briefing series is one way of
achieving this aim along with meetings, workshops and postgraduate research awards.
For more information about the InterTradeIreland All-Island
Innovation Programme and the Community of Researchers visit
www.intertradeireland.com/all-island-innovation-programme/ or you can
contact Bernadette McGahon on 028 3083 4168 (048 from Ireland).
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