Critical Factors toward Successful R&D Projects in Public Research Centers: a Primer

Abstract

Mexican Public Research Centers (PRCs) have become one of the most important actors in technology developmentfor most enterprises they interact with. Nevertheless, knowledge generated and accumulated by PRCs is beingunderutilized or not utilized at all in the advance of new projects to benefit productive sectors. In this paper we reviewa number of variables to pinpoint factors that either promote or hinder successful R&D projects; i.e. those transferredto the industry. We conclude that it is feasible to design policies to boost positive factors while preventing or reducingthe impact of the negative ones.