Technology Transfer from Country to Country (C - C)

The transfer of technology, e.g. an invention or a new product from a research institution or a company to a company in another country has to overcome an additional set of hurdles which, usually, do not occur during TTs within one country.  This is true whether the TT is performed in form of licensing, the sale of a new product, or the implementation of a new product.

The flowchart below shows the steps which are commonly followed when one plans a C - C TT:

A market, partner, competitor, and revenue analysis would be performed before deciding on a TT step and before establishing a TT strategy. The TT strategy allows two avenues:

(a) the establishment of a corporation in the other country or

(b) the collaboration with an established company in the other country.

The additional set of hurdles result from cultural, behavioral, and language barriers, which are often not known, underestimated, or misunderstood. These barriers can destroy success before it even had a chance of happening.  There is no good recipe as to how the barriers would be best overcome other than to include a person in the TT team who has living and business experience in both countries – a bi-country expert. 

It is highly advisable to include a bi-country expert already in the C - C TT planning phase, as the a C - C TT decision would be made based on better understanding of all facts which might impact success, a C - C TT strategy could result from an elevated barrier understanding, and the C - C interactions between the partners could be developed on a much improved level of understanding, which would make negotiations and collaborations much more productive and successful.

 ·   OttoConsulting has bi-country knowledge and expertise on all business levels, specifically for C - C transactions between U.S. and German speaking European countries, and could impact especially the C - C TT planning, partner selection and contacting, as well as during the interfacing and negotiation phase.