Study On Function Mechanism Of The Technology Intermediary In The Course Of Technology Transfer

In the era of knowledge economy, a country's technological level and innovation capacity determine its overall national strength and international competitiveness. Many countries' practice shows that technology intermediaries play an important role in the promotion of knowledge, technology transfer, as a "bridge" between innovational subjects and elemental markets. Thanks for the strengthened role of technology intermediaries, a large number of science and technology SME (small-and-medium-sized enterprises) access to external technical information and technical resources from the intermediary services. China's technology intermediary organizations started late but develop faster, thus, there are still problems during the process of development and the functions of technology intermediaries are inadequate, therefore, systematic study of technology intermediaries' function mechanism in technology transfer is of great significance.Based on knowledge transfer perspective and a microscopic point of view, this paper made a deep study of the role that technology intermediary plays in technology transfer. Firstly, based on the related studies of technology transfer, we identify the five main parts in the technology transfer process, namely technology source, technology recipient, technology to be transferred, the relationship of the technology source and recipient and technology intermediary. Secondly, from view of those subjects except technology intermediary in the technology transfer, we summarize the factors that may affect technology transfer. After analyzing technology intermediary's functions to other subjects of the technology transfer system based on the role of other, we build the research framework (conceptual model) of technology intermediaries' function mechanism in technology transfer, then conducted empirical studies through a questionnaire survey and proved that this model is reasonable.In the empirical analysis, 140 questionnaires were sent to the technology intermediaries in Dalian, Shenyang, Beijing and other areas. 101 available samples were collected with the return rate 72.1%. On this basis, we conducted factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple linear regression analysis of the data to test the hypothesis rose from the conceptual model by using statistical software SPSS 15.0. Technology intermediary's functions including stimulating technology sources' transfer will and enhancing their transfer capacity, stimulating technology recipients' acceptance willingness and improving their ability to absorb the knowledge, raise the maturation level of the technology and strengthen its transferability and communication support for the bilateral relationship has been proved. However, regression result which was discussed later shows that the functions of technology intermediaries are imbalance, which means the effects to enhance technology sources' transfer capacity, improve technology recipients' absorb ability and raise the maturation level of the technology are inadequate.Finally paper chose two cases from the survey samples to illustrate the specific functions of technology intermediaries and put forward some proposals for promoting the functions technology intermediaries exert and for improving the development of this whole industry.