Title: Evaluation of two support programs promoting international technology transfer between SMEs

Authors: Lionel Pilorget

Addresses: 36, rue de l'Etache, F-22440 Ploufragan, France

Abstract: This paper deals with two support programs which aim at the promotion of international technology transfer between European SMEs. To this end, some networks of innovation counsellors were established in order to promote industrial cooperation. As the programs analysed were partly financed by public institutions, evaluation surveys took place. The main result of the evaluations pinpoints the lack of impact of these programs on industrial companies and the appearance of interesting spin-offs. Many reasons are mentioned to explain this lack of success, in particular the lack of information on behaviour and needs of industry as far as technology transfer is concerned, which could have been avoided by conducting an |ex ante strategic| evaluation.

Keywords: support programmes; industrial cooperation; France; Germany; innovation consultancy; international technology transfer; European SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; evaluation; technology management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1995.025663

International Journal of Technology Management, 1995 Vol.10 No.7/8, pp.867 - 878

Published online: 23 May 2009 *

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