Environmental-related patent technology transfer effectiveness. A comparison between Portugal and Australia using OECD data
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-10-2017-0079 |
| Pages | 206-221 |
| Published date | 10 September 2018 |
| Date | 10 September 2018 |
| Author | João J. Ferreira,Cristina Fernandes,Vanessa Ratten |
| Subject Matter | Strategy,Business ethics,Sustainability |
Environmental-related patent
technology transfer effectiveness
A comparison between Portugal and Australia
using OECD data
João J. Ferreira and Cristina Fernandes
Management and Economics Department,
University of Beira Interior & NECE –Research Centre in Business Sciences,
Covilhã, Portugal, and
Vanessa Ratten
College of Arts Social Sciences and Commerce,
La Trobe University Victoria, Australia
Abstract
Purpose –Environmental-related technology transfer is increasingly being viewed as a policy issue and a
business goal to be pursued by countries in order to increase their global competitiveness. Despite this policy
importance, the research analysing environmental-related technology transfer comparing international rates
of participation is limited. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors analyse the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) data using econometric analysis to compare environmental-related technology patents
between Portugal and Australia in terms of environmental management, water-related adaptation, and
climate change mitigation.
Findings –The results suggest that environmental-related patents, in turn, are always registered in greater
numbers by Australia than by Portugal but with both countries outpaced by the OECD average.
Research limitations/implications –The research implications are that Australia has more international
cooperation around the development of environmental-related technology patents than Portugal.
Practical implications –The authors find that overall these patents do not have any statistically
significant effect on predicting gross domestic product growth but there has been a higher number of patents
for Australia focusing on water-related adaptation technology than for Portugal, which may be a result of
policies aimed at increasing effective use of water in Australia.
Originality/value –The results of the analysis suggest that the OECD member state cooperation increases
the number of environmental-related technology patents and serves as a mechanism to facilitate
internationalisation.
Keywords Sustainable development, Sustainability
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Technology transfer in the global economy is being transformed by innovative and
sustainable methods of production, which enable patent technology to interlink
environmental policy with business need (Audretsch et al., 2014). Part of the effectiveness
of technology transfers is based on institutional factors within national settings able
to foster sustainable entrepreneurship policies (Aparicio et al., 2015). Institutional
dimensions are important determinants of entrepreneurial activity, which can be
compared globally to evaluate the effectiveness of technology transfer policies (Urbano
and Alvarez, 2014). Sustainable entrepreneurship is important in developing appropriate
technology transfer policies, which can be applied in multiple country settings (Pinkse and
Groot, 2015). This is due to science and technology being central to transforming
manufacturing industries towards sustainable patterns of production and economic
growth (UNIDO, 2011).
World Journal of
Entrepreneurship, Management
and Sustainable Development
Vol. 14 No. 3, 2018
pp. 206-221
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2042-5961
DOI 10.1108/WJEMSD-10-2017-0079
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
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WJEMSD
14,3
Part of the increase in sustainable entrepreneurship that focuses on technology transfer
has stemmed from “green”patents, which are now emerging as an important indicator of a
state’s global competitiveness (Fankhauser et al., 2013; Mathews, 2012; OECD, 2012, 2013;
UNIDO, 2011). This has been due to a policy trend towards promoting environment friendly
innovation, which has become an important priority in national and international
technology transfers (Fankhauser et al., 2013). In addition, there has been increasing
interest in the usage of environmental-related patents to facilitate economic growth
and international cooperation amongst Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD) countries. This has been a result of more policies focusing on the
relationships between environmental policies and technological change (Green et al., 1994;
Porter and Van der Linde, 1995; Kemp, 1997; Rennings, 2000).
Popp et al. (2010) have developed empirical studies of policy-oriented innovations.
The results of this branch of research depend, at least in part, on the type of data applied to
measure innovation and environmental policies and as well as the sector analysed.
For example, Jaffe and Palmer (1997) report a positive correlation between control over the
reduction of pollution-related expenditure and the costs incurred in research and
development whilst they do not observe any effect of this tool on patent policies. In contrast,
Brunnermeier and Cohen (2003) highlight a positive relationship between green patents and
control over reductions in pollution. These studies may also extend to the level of
cooperation between countries engaged in the technological transfer policies that underpin
the concept of sustainable entrepreneurship (Barbieri, 2015; Pinkse and Groot, 2015).
The transfer of technology continues to represent a theme of study and research in which
the level of recognition garnered is not equal to the importance on it from managers and
entrepreneurs who turn to the academic literature as a source of scientific knowledge in
order to boost their own respective competitiveness (Bozeman et al., 2015). This has led to an
additional criterion being introduced by policy planners about whether the technology
transfer has a public value and impacts the other sectors of the economy (Jorgensen and
Bozeman, 2007). Despite the existing research on the influence of government on the
financing of technology transfer policies, the general results and findings do little to clarify
the influence of such public initiatives. This is due to the lack of research focusing on
environmental-related technology transfer and how specific targets may shape and interact
with science and technology ( Jaffe, 2006). Research has recently begun to approach this
question and focus on the role of institutions and the influence wielded by science policies in
the accumulation of knowledge and the management of scientific research (Furman et al.,
2010; Furman and Stern, 2011; Murray et al., 2009).
The bulk of this research on science and technology policies has focussed upon seeking
out variations rather than congruence in the structures and behaviours of national policies.
This has led to various researchers identifying how public policies tend to follow specific,
historically grounded trajectories that frame the choices of individuals and organisations at
the national level (Ergas, 1986; Freeman, 1987; Lundvall, 1992; Nelson, 1993; Nelson and
Winter, 1982). Some of these policies affecting environmental-related technology transfer
include differences in national histories and cultures, the political contexts, the timing of the
respective launch of the national industrialisation process alongside the mix of industries all
reflect in the diversity prevailing among countries. In addition, environmental-related
technology transfer is affected by a countries political doctrines, goals, limitations, priorities,
organisations, tools, as well as the performance of their science and technology policies
(Lemola, 2002; Nelson and Rosenberg, 1993).
Within this context, the current research aims to compare the effectiveness of technology
transfer policies focusing on environmental-related patents between two very different
countries: Portugal and Australia and against OECD countries in general. Portugal is a
member of the European Union and has one of the highest rates of usage of sustainable
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related patent
technology
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