On January 31, 2019, WBI hosted its first PROACTIVATE training session. Designed in collaboration with The Ohio State University, the curriculum was custom-designed to train AF researchers on the technology commercialization and transition processes. The goal of the training is to enable researchers to write more commercialization and transition ready invention disclosures, accelerating those processes. PROACTIVATE training is the first in WBI’s three-course ACTIVATION training series. Each of the courses will focus on accelerating technology commercialization and transition but will have slightly different areas of focus.
Research organizations that specialize in early technology development mimic academia’s culture, which emphasizes journal publications and speaking at conferences. Writing acclaimed, peer-reviewed articles is rarely the same (or as exciting) as writing an effective invention disclosure. Air Force researchers are often evaluated on the number of articles they’ve produced in a fiscal year, potentially affecting their compensation. These barriers are often cited as the primary reasons why researchers avoid commercialization processes. PROACTIVATE training enables researchers to continue to focus on their publication goals, while establishing the foundation for commercialization in the future.
Organizations that embrace a culture of commercialization offer serious advantages for employees.
A culture of commercialization can increase innovation for the organization, as well as, advance employee career opportunities and workplace satisfaction. That could result in 44% less absenteeism, 41% fewer safety incidents, and 16% higher productivity.
Participants of the PROACTIVATE training session universally agreed by survey that they found the course useful and would recommend it to a colleague. WBI will be hosting additional instances of PROACTIVATE training throughout 2019 and 2020.
Sources:
Sanberg, Gharib, Harker, Kaler, Marchase, Sands, Arshadi, and Sarkar. “Changing the academic culture: Valuing patents and commercialization toward tenure and career advancement.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, May 6, 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4020064
WIPO (2017). World Intellectual Property Indicators 2017. Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization
The Conference Board. “Labor Day Survey: 51% of U.S. Employees Overall Satisfied with Their Job.” The Conference Board, August 29, 2018, https://www.conference-board.org/press/pressdetail.cfm?pressid=7528.
Anderson, Murphy, and Börsch. “Nothing for Money: A behavioral perspective on innovation and motivation.” Deloitte, January 25, 2016, https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/deloitte-review/issue-18/cultivating-innovation-at-work.html.
Anderson, Murphy, and Börsch. “Nothing for Money: A behavioral perspective on innovation and motivation.” Deloitte, January 25, 2016, https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/deloitte-review/issue-18/cultivating-innovation-at-work.html.