The transfer is functorial (Q1789508)

A transfer is a construction that takes a map $p: X \to Y$ to some ``wrong way'' map $p!: Y\to X$. \textit{F. W. Roush} [Transfer in generalized cohomology theories. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó (1999; Zbl 0991.55006); Princeton University (PhD Thesis) (1972)] defined a transfer for finite covering spaces $X \to Y$ as a stable wrong way map $\Sigma^\infty Y_+ \to \Sigma^\infty X_+$. This idea was expanded on by \textit{J. C. Becker} and \textit{D. H. Gottlieb} [Topology 14, 1--12 (1975; Zbl 0306.55017)] to define transfers for smooth fiber bundles with closed manifold fiber. Then, those authors [loc. cit.] produced a purely homotopy theoretic construction of the transfer using fiberwise $S$-duality, thereby extending the definition to the class of Hurewicz fibrations with finitely dominated fibers. As the Pontryagin-Thom construction is functorial on compositions of embeddings, it is straightforward to deduce that for any composition of smooth fiber bundles with closed manifold fibers $X\xrightarrow{p} Y\xrightarrow{q}Z$ the transfer is functorial up to homotopy, $(q\circ p)!\simeq p! \circ q!$. \par Given that the transfer is defined for a larger class of fibrations, it is reasonable to ask how much more generally functoriality holds. The authors resolve a lingering foundational question about the transfer and prove in Theorem A that the Becker-Gottlieb transfer is functorial up to homotopy, for all fibrations with finitely dominated fibers. This leads to a ``multiplicative'' description of the transfer, different from the standard presentation as the trace of a diagonal map. Editorial remark: In the corrigendum to this paper [\textit{J. R. Klein} and \textit{C. Malkiewich}, Adv. Math. 410 B, Article ID 108752, 2 p. (2022; Zbl 1502.55012)], the authors highlight an error. ``As a result of this error, the question of functoriality is once again open.''