Guidelines for preventing problems in technology transfer processes: a Brazilian-Mexican case study

Abstract

While there are various analyses of technology transfer processes (TTPs) in the literature, there is a dearth of guidelines to help prevent the impacts associated with such processes. TTPs between companies in developed countries and developing countries frequently encounter difficulties, and the process is even more difficult between companies in developing countries, which have limited resources to support the procedures involved. We propose a set of preventive guidelines to minimize the problems arising from a TTP between industrial companies in Latin America. To this end, the literature about TTPs between companies and the variables that affect such processes is reviewed. In order to focus on Latin America and identify the factors that have an impact on this type of TTP, we describe a case study involving technology transfer from a Brazilian company to a subsidiary in Mexico. This same case is then used to simulate the use of the proposed guidelines in order to validate them. We put forward eleven guidelines that seek to minimize the 14 variables identified as having an impact on a TTP. Once these guidelines were applied, it was observed that the company tended to reduce its costs and provide a better service for its local customers in the country to which the technology was transferred.