University objectives and socioeconomic results: A multicriteria measuring of alignment

• Published in: European journal of operational research Vol. 199; no. 3; pp. 811 - 822
• Main Authors: Cortés-Aldana, Félix Antonio, García-Melón, Mónica, Fernández-de-Lucio, Ignacio, Aragonés-Beltrán, Pablo, Poveda-Bautista, Rocío
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 16-12-2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: European Journal of Operational Research
• Subjects: Analytic hierarchy process (AHP); Analytic network process (ANP); Applied sciences; Colleges & universities; Comparative analysis; Decision theory. Utility theory; Economics; Exact sciences and technology; General aspects; Hierarchies; Multiple criteria analysis; Multiple criteria analysis Analytic network process (ANP) Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) Relation between university and socioeconomic environment; Multiple criteria decision making; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Relation between university and socioeconomic environment; Socioeconomic factors; Studies; Technology transfer; Analytic network process (ANP); Analytic hierarchy process (AHP); Relation between university and socioeconomic environment; Multiple criteria analysis; Local community; Decision support system; Multicriteria analysis; Decision making; Analytic hierarchy process; Decision analysis; Modeling; Socioeconomics; Social decision; Alignment; Technology transfer; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 0377-2217; 1872-6860
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2009.01.065

Universities develop technology transfer mechanisms as the tools required to undertake missions committed to the socioeconomic environment. In this work a new proposal to measure the extent to which the goals or strategic objectives of a university are aligned with the results obtained through its technology transfer mechanisms with the local community is presented. This will enable to perform a diagnosis, by comparing the situation sought by the University Management team (expected case) with the actual one that derives from the application of the plans that implement the technology transfer mechanisms (real case). To achieve this, two different Multicriteria Decision Analysis techniques e.g. Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) will be used. Both the methodology and the MCDA techniques proposed need to be explained and clarified to the different experts who collaborate in the study, hence the facilitating process, key to the whole procedure, will be analysed in detail.
The model proposed in this study is applied to analyse the case of the National University of Colombia – Bogotá Campus. Findings show that the following questions can be answered: (i) How much importance is granted by the University Management to the objectives of the University? (ii) To what extent are the objectives of the university fulfilled by the technology transfer mechanisms to the socioeconomic environment? (iii) Are the objectives of the university aligned with the results achieved through the technology transfer mechanisms?