Technology transfer

The term 'technology transfer" is most commonly used within a company to describe the internal transfer of technical knowledge or devices from research to development, from development to manufacturing, and from manufacturing to sales and services. The term is also used to describe the less orderly processes in which new technologies flow backwards in the system (e.g. from manufacturing to research) or laterally (e.g. from one development laboratory to another development laboratory). In academic circles and international conferences, technology transfer is more often used to refer to the transfer of technology from one company to another or between different geographical locations and countries.