Inter-organisational technology/knowledge transfer: a framework from critical literature review

This paper aims to provide, through a literature analysis, a solid theoretical foundation that allows identifying the critical factors for technology/knowledge transfer. The literature review allowed to summarize the main contributions collected, to identify the main critical factors for technology/knowledge transfer and to frame them in a simple framework, carrying out a rationalization and classification. We built a reference framework, called “model of technology/knowledge transfer”. The proposed structure considers six categories related to the actors involved (sources, recipients and intermediaries), the relationship between them, the object of the transfer, the channels and mechanisms and the reference context. The factors represent all the main parameters and levers to consider in the design and implementation of an activity of technology/knowledge transfer. This can direct also future research by deepening these factors or the relationship among them.