How to Remove Obstacles in Advancing Employment Crowth

It has become increasingly evident that technology is a major determinant of the competitiveness of cities and regions nowadays. The availability of new technology essentially reduces the amount of uncertainty with which companies deal in their daily operations. In addition, new technology is a basis for the establishment of new companies and the restructuring of old ones. It therefore, may essentially influence the development direction of urban and regional economies. First, this paper wil1 discuss a communication approach to technology transfer. This approach pays attention to barriers and the removing of barriers in communication processes underlying technology transfer (Section 2). Next, in an empirical part, the paper wil1 focus on experiences in technology transfer through academie transfer institutes (Section 3) and science parks (Section 4). This analysis is based on a blend of empirical studies in Europe and the United States. The paper wil1 conclude with an examination of practica1 issues concerning obstacles to technology transfer (Section 5). To this purpose it provides an evaluation framework for the assessment of potential success of new science parks, namely by means of the so-called ‘Pentagon of Concerns’. It wil1 be discussed how this evaluation framework can be operationalized by means of multi-criteria analysis.