Commercializing science by means of university spin-offs : an ethical review

This paper reviews, structures and evaluates the moral issues generated by efforts to commercialize university research by means of university spin-offs. University spin-offs are new ventures founded to exploit university research. First, I review the advantages and disadvantages of commercialization of science as appearing from studies on university spin-off creation. This review suggests that spin-off creation has three substantial advantages: 1) knowledge utilization, 2) economic growth, and 3) learning from the other ‘culture’. Furthermore, three significant disadvantages are identified: 1) the potential change in research directions, 2) the anti-commons effect, and 3) the threat to objectivity. Subsequently, these arguments are evaluated by deontological and teleological ethical theories. These ethical evaluations result in different evaluations of the university spin-off phenomenon. Based on these ethical evaluations a balancing reflective equilibrium is constructed. Commercializing science by means of university spin-offs appears to be ethically desirable under the condition that disadvantages can be mitigated by designing the right organizational structures.