Digital Platformas a Tool for the Functioning of the Technology Transfer Network

Abstract

Problem setting. Today, the digital economy is being transferred to the digital platform, including in the area of technology transfer for innovative products and/or services. Analysis of recent researches and publications. The following scholars were interested in the conceptualization of digital platforms: Acs Z. J. et al. (2021) , Kenney M. and Zysman J. (2020), Plantin Jean-Ch. (2018), Van Gorp N. and Batura O. (2015), Spagnoletti P., Resca A. and Lee, G. (2015), Ghazawnehand A. and Henfridsson O. (2013), Ceccagnoli M. et al. (2012), Tiwana A. et al. (2010), Kurz T, Eder R. and Heistracher T. (2010), Venters W. (2021), Mansell R. and Steinmueller W. E. (2020), Frenken K. and Fuenfschilling L. (2020), Thompson M, Mukhopadhyay S., Bouwman H. and Jaiswal M. P. (2019), Otto B. and Jarke M. (2019), Poell T. et al. (2019), Gawer A. (2021), Van Dijck J. (2020, Keskin B. Van Dijk et al. (2018), Schwarz J. A. (2017). Among Ukrainian scholars, the problems of introducing digital platforms and the conceptual foundations of their development in the context of the formation of the digital economy were of interest to Kokhan V. P., Sichkarenko K. O., Ostrovsky I. A., Lyashenko V. I. and Vyshnevsky O. S., Semenog A. Y. Purpose of the research is to identify the existing views on the category of «digital platform» in the scientific literature, to identify its characteristics, and to provide an overview of its types. We will find out the impact of digital platforms on the activities of technology transfer networks and identify gaps in legal regulation and suggest opportunities for future research. Article’s main body. The article studies the conceptual provisions for substantiating the essence of the category «digital platform» and its impact on the activities of a technology transfer network. The author proves that a digital platform is an important factor enabling innovation through a technology transfer network, a mechanism for stimulating technology transfer, and a certain means of digital transformation. The concept of «digital platform» is widespread in the legal and economic literature, but there are significant differences of opinion among scholars regarding its essence. The study has led to the conclusion that a digital platform is a networked form of business organization, a special type of business model that brings together participants on the principles of an ecosystem and on a voluntary basis to promote valuable interaction between the involved participants, ensure coordination, dissemination of information, transfer of technology, and provision of services. The study found that there are business models of platforms that have a network effect and they exist in the following types: transactional, innovative, integrated, investment, and information platforms. The article emphasizes that from a legal perspective, a digital platform (for technology transfer) is a key tool for the functioning of a technology transfer network which provides for the connection of a large number of participants based on digital technologies, and which aims at coordinating and processing information, providing services, engaging software, assisting in finding partners for research and development and effective interaction of technology transfer participants, digitalization of business processes, transfer of new promising technologies and/or It has been established that the technology transfer network facilitates the implementation of innovative projects of national and international (transnational) technology transfer. Conclusions and prospects for the development. In order to improve the category of «digital platform», its concept should be fixed in the Law of Ukraine «On Stimulating the Development of the Digital Economy in Ukraine» of 15.07.2021 No. 1667-IX and the draft Law «On Digital Content and Digital Services», adopted as a basis on 12.01.2023. And the concept of a technology transfer network and center is defined in the Law of Ukraine «On State Regulation of Activities in the Field of Technology Transfer» of 14.09.2006 No. 143-V or in the Draft Law on Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Stimulating Activities in the Field of Technology Transfer No. 4623 of 21.01.2021.