Scientific and technological achievement transformation services and technology transfer performance of research institutions:Evidence from the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Abstract:

Research institutions serve as a vital pillar of the national strategic science and technology force in science and technology, and their technology transfer performance plays a significant role in the national innovation system. Technology transfer services are an essential catalyst in transforming scientific research outputs into social benefits. However, existing studies, mainly focusing on universities and enterprises, have largely overlooked how the scientific and technological achievement transformation services of research institutions influence technology transfer performance.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is a key research institution in China’s innovation activities, with extensive exploration and practice in technology transfer. CAS is a representative case for research institutions’ technology transfer. Its intellectual property commissioner system plays an important role in the protection, transformation, and utilization of intellectual property by providing professional and efficient talent protection and intellectual property services. Therefore, this study focuses on intellectual property commissioners within the Chinese Academy of Sciences and utilizes data collected through a questionnaire survey. It examines the impact and underlying mechanisms of scientific and technological achievements transformation service capabilities on technology transfer performance, distinguishing between two dimensions: basic value-added service capacity and commercial operation service capacity. It also examines the moderating effect of organizational support on the relationship between these two aspects.

Our findings indicate that both basic value-added service capability and commercial operation service capability have significant positive effects on technology transfer performance, with the effect of commercial operation service capability demonstrating a more pronounced impact. The quality of scientific and technological achievements plays a partial mediating role between both types of service capabilities and technology transfer performance. Organizational support is found to positively moderate the relationships between commercial operation service capabilities and the quality of scientific and technological achievements, as well as technology transfer performance.

We contribute to existing research in the following ways. First, we expand the existing literature on technology transfer by analyzing the impact of technology transfer service capabilities on the technology transfer performance of research institutions, and considering the differentiated effects of different service capabilities. This broadens the micro perspective of technology transfer and provides a theoretical research framework for future studies. Second, we explain the mechanisms through which technology transfer service capabilities affect technology transfer performance, thus expanding the channels through which these capabilities operate in the technology transfer process. Third, we incorporate the organizational support, an organizational factor, into the analytical framework between scientific and technological achievements transformation service capabilities and technology transfer, clarifying the conditions under which scientific and technological achievements transformation service capabilities influence technology transfer performance.

In the context of the national innovation-driven development strategy, these findings not only provide theoretical insights for optimizing the allocation of scientific and technological resources and enhancing the technology transfer performance of research institutions through service capabilities, but also offer empirical evidence for policy-making, which has important theoretical significance and practical value. On one hand, research institutions should strengthen the service capabilities of their intellectual property personnel, especially commercial operation service capabilities. In addition, research institutions should place emphasis on improving the quality of scientific and technological achievements. On the other hand, government and research institutions should optimize organizational support mechanisms to foster an organizational environment conducive to technology transfer.

Key words: scientific and technological achievement transformation services, technology transfer performance, intellectual property commissioner, quality of scientific and technological achievements, organizational support

摘要：

科研机构是重要的国家战略科技力量,其技术转移成效在国家创新体系中发挥重要作用。科技成果转化服务是促进科研机构创新成果转化为社会效益的重要助力。然而,现有研究缺乏对科技成果转化服务如何影响科研机构技术转移绩效的探讨。本文以中国科学院知识产权专员为研究对象,通过问卷调查获取数据,并从基础增值服务能力和商业运营服务能力两个层次,分析科技成果转化服务能力对技术转移绩效的影响效果和机制。研究发现,基础增值服务能力、商业运营服务能力对技术转移绩效有显著正向影响,其中,商业运营服务能力的效果更显著;科技成果质量在基础增值服务能力、商业运营服务能力与技术转移绩效间发挥部分中介作用;组织支持在商业运营服务能力与科技成果质量、技术转移绩效间发挥正向调节作用。研究结论不仅丰富了科技成果转化服务影响技术转移绩效的理论框架,还为科研机构如何通过科技成果转化服务提升技术转移绩效提供了有益洞见。

关键词: 科技成果转化服务, 技术转移绩效, 知识产权专员, 科技成果质量, 组织支持

CLC Number:

F204
G301

JIANG Xin-hua, XIAO Bing, LIU Hai-bo, ZHANG Ya-feng. Scientific and technological achievement transformation services and technology transfer performance of research institutions:Evidence from the Chinese Academy of Sciences[J]. Studies in Science of Science, 2026, 44(2): 373-385.

姜新华, 肖冰, 刘海波, 张亚峰. 科技成果转化服务与科研机构技术转移绩效——以中国科学院为例[J]. 科学学研究, 2026, 44(2): 373-385.

Figures/Tables 6

References 49

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变量	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)
Mean	3.686	3.761	3.552	3.771	3.834	1.648	2.352	2.819	5.695	5.267
SD	0.55	0.609	0.66	0.588	0.695	0.48	0.554	0.907	4.109	1.423
(1) TP
(2) BS	0.406^***
(3) CS	0.485^***	0.793^***
(4) TQ	0.490^***	0.466^***	0.464^***
(5) OS	0.463^***	0.305^***	0.308^***	0.377^***
(6) GR	-0.071	-0.103	-0.138	0.027	-0.022
(7) ED	0.009	0.052	0.024	0.021	-0.155	-0.179^*
(8) TL	-0.038	-0.044	0.051	0.007	-0.083	-0.082	0.128
(9) CY	0.105	0.039	0.053	0.108	-0.111	0.155	0.077	-0.010
(10) DP	0.022	-0.126	-0.053	-0.084	-0.075	-0.058	-0.011	-0.134	-0.144

变量	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)
Mean	3.686	3.761	3.552	3.771	3.834	1.648	2.352	2.819	5.695	5.267
SD	0.55	0.609	0.66	0.588	0.695	0.48	0.554	0.907	4.109	1.423
(1) TP
(2) BS	0.406^***
(3) CS	0.485^***	0.793^***
(4) TQ	0.490^***	0.466^***	0.464^***
(5) OS	0.463^***	0.305^***	0.308^***	0.377^***
(6) GR	-0.071	-0.103	-0.138	0.027	-0.022
(7) ED	0.009	0.052	0.024	0.021	-0.155	-0.179^*
(8) TL	-0.038	-0.044	0.051	0.007	-0.083	-0.082	0.128
(9) CY	0.105	0.039	0.053	0.108	-0.111	0.155	0.077	-0.010
(10) DP	0.022	-0.126	-0.053	-0.084	-0.075	-0.058	-0.011	-0.134	-0.144

变量	因子载荷	Cronbach's α	AVE	CR
基础增值服务能力	0.727	0.772	0.532	0.773
	0.711
	0.750
商业运营服务能力	0.750	0.776	0.542	0.780
	0.690
	0.767
科技成果质量	0.898	0.891	0.674	0.892
	0.828
	0.704
	0.842
组织支持	0.636	0.818	0.627	0.832
	0.860
	0.859
技术转移绩效	0.816	0.826	0.630	0.835
	0.883
	0.667

变量	因子载荷	Cronbach's α	AVE	CR
基础增值服务能力	0.727	0.772	0.532	0.773
	0.711
	0.750
商业运营服务能力	0.750	0.776	0.542	0.780
	0.690
	0.767
科技成果质量	0.898	0.891	0.674	0.892
	0.828
	0.704
	0.842
组织支持	0.636	0.818	0.627	0.832
	0.860
	0.859
技术转移绩效	0.816	0.826	0.630	0.835
	0.883
	0.667

	TP		TQ		TP
	M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6	M7
GR	-0.033	-0.010	0.106	0.116	-0.120	-0.074	-0.050
	(0.127)	(0.123)	(0.126)	(0.125)	(0.118)	(0.119)	(0.116)
ED	0.011	0.033	0.005	0.028	0.010	0.009	0.023
	(0.113)	(0.109)	(0.111)	(0.111)	(0.107)	(0.105)	(0.102)
TL	-0.037	-0.062	-0.008	-0.035	-0.038	-0.034	-0.050
	(0.066)	(0.063)	(0.065)	(0.065)	(0.062)	(0.061)	(0.060)
CY	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制
DP	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制	控制
BS	0.372^***		0.439^***			0.201^*
	(0.099)		(0.097)			(0.103)
CS		0.402^***		0.410^***			0.259^***
		(0.087)		(0.089)			(0.092)
TQ					0.486^***	0.390^***	0.349^***
					(0.097)	(0.107)	(0.105)
_cons	1.960^***	1.817^***	2.103^***	2.202^***	1.594^**	1.140	1.048
	(0.719)	(0.678)	(0.711)	(0.692)	(0.678)	(0.705)	(0.678)
R²	0.324	0.372	0.414	0.419	0.395	0.424	0.452
F	1.365	1.689	2.015	2.060	1.864	2.000	2.236