The Anatomy of the CRADA Process in New Mexico and a Comparison with Japan

The present paper examines the CRADA process between Federal R&D laboratories in New Mexico and private companies. A comparison is made of the CRADA process with similar technology transfer mechanisms in Japan. We surveyed 250 laboratory and private counterparts involved in Los Alamos National Laboratory CRADA agreements. Survey data are used to explain the effectiveness of CRADAs as a mechanism for technology transfer. “Our organization is not getting long-term stability of support for research in the field.” Federal Laboratory Respondent # 3 1. “The emphasis on immediate commercialization is misplaced. If the value/advantage is so obvious that commercialization is immediate, companies will probably be willing to invest in, or license, the technology. CRADAs should be viewed as seed money.” Private Company Respondent # 42. 1.0 The CRADA as a Mechanism of Technology Transfer in New Mexico In both the U.S. and Japan, technology transfer from a Federal R&D laboratory to a private industry is expected to enhance international competitiveness, which is the driving force for recent policy emphasis on technology transfer. Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) function as one mechanism for technology transfer linking a Federal laboratory with a private company. The purposes of this paper on CRADAs are: (1) to advance understanding of the process through which a CRADA is formed, (2) to understand difficulties in technology transfer related to the CRADA process, (3) to examine the technology transfer effects through CRADAs in New Mexico, and (4) to compare the similarities and differences between CRADAS and comparable Japanese mechanisms of technology transfer. We seek to answer six research questions about CRADAs. 1. From what sources/channels of communication did private companies obtain information about CRADAs? 2. What objectives do each partner want in a