"This book addresses an important and timely topic which has garnered substantial interest among policymakers, academic analysts, and the broader scientific and technical community. It reflects over a decade of careful qualitative and quantitative research by these authors. This collection brings together their most interesting work in this important area." --Scott Stern, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
"This clear and succinct volume convincingly overturns the conventional wisdom about university-industry relations in science and technology. The authors muster extensive historical and contemporary empirical evidence to build a robust and nuanced conception of the transfer of knowledge between the two sectors. This work warrants close attention from academic administrators, research managers, and public policy-makers in the U.S. and abroad."--David M. Hart, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Since the early 1980s, universities in the United States have greatly expanded their patenting and licensing activities. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee, among other authorities, have argued that this surge contributed to the economic boom of the 1990s. And, many observers have attributed this trend to the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. Using quantitative analysis and detailed case studies, this book tests that conventional wisdom and assesses the effects of the Act, examining the diverse channels through which commercialization has occurred over the 20th century and since the passage of the Act.