Technology transfer

It is suggested that in order for an industrial or commercial organization to perceive a need for and purchase a software tool (particularly for validation), certain conditions need to be true, and these are presented in brief form. The lessons for technology transfer which can be derived from this analysis are as follows. It is essential that researchers conduct experiments into the benefits and cost of tool deployment. It is clearly better for industry in general if the experiments are not performed by the tool vendors. Information about tools, their spheres of applicability, limitations, benefits and costs should be made widely available in the literature. The provision of educational courses for specific techniques and tools and more general courses is one area where tool vendors and other specialists have already provided adequate facilities