Organizational conflicts affecting technology commercialization from nonprofit laboratories

Organizational conflict mediates management and innovator interest in commercializing technology. Issues (or circumstances) resulting from conflicting goals should be considered by companies in developing policies toward laboratory‐generated technology. These issues include where the technology was developed, relationship with the laboratory′s activity, “deliberateness” of the discovery, protectability, exclusive rights, processes versus products, maturation necessary, and cost to commercialization. Companies must weigh these issues in deciding to work with laboratories on innovations or continued commercial development.