nep-ino New Economics Papers
on Innovation
Issue of 2011‒04‒16
thirteen papers chosen by
Steffen Lippert
Massey University, Albany

  1. Organizational paths of commercializing patented inventions: The effects of transaction costs, firm capabilities, and collaborative ties By Jung , Taehyun; Walsh , John P.
  2. Acquisitions, Entry and Innovation in Network Industries By Norbäck, Pehr-Johan; Persson, Lars; Tåg, Joacim
  3. A tale of two growth engines: The interactive effects of monetary policy and intellectual property rights By Chu, Angus C.; Lai, Ching-Chong; Liao, Chih-Hsing
  4. The Problem of Trading Patents in Organized Markets: A Dynamic Experimental Microeconomic System Model and Informal Price Theory By Eskil Ullberg;
  5. Innovation, Technology and Knowledge By Karlsson, Charlie; Johansson, Börje; Norman, Therese
  6. The Transatlantic Productivity Gap: Is R&D the Main Culprit? By Raquel Ortega-Argilés; Mariacristina Piva; Marco Vivarelli
  7. Coordinating Inventive and Innovatice Decisions Through Markets with Prices: An Experimental Study of Patent Markets with Transparent Prices By Eskil Ullberg;
  8. The effect of national culture on countries’ innovation efficiency By Halkos, George; Tzeremes, Nickolaos
  9. From Personal to Impersonal Exchange in Ideas: An Experimental Study of Patent Markets with Transparent Prices By Eskil Ullberg;
  10. Comparing knowledge bases: on the organisation and geography of knowledge flows in the regional innovation system of Scania, southern Sweden By Martin, Roman; Moodysson , Jerker
  11. R&D and productivity in high-tech manufacturing: a comparison between Italy and Spain By Sterlacchini, Alessandro; Venturini, Francesco
  12. Innovation and Corporate Dynamics: A Theoretical Framework By Massimo, Riccaboni; Jakub, Growiec; Fabio, Pammolli
  13. What’s Intellectual Property Good for? By Michele Boldrin; David K Levine

  1. By: Jung , Taehyun (CIRCLE, Lund University); Walsh , John P. (CIRCLE, Lund University)
    Abstract: This study examines the factors affecting modes of commercializing patented inventions using a novel dataset based on a survey of U.S. inventors. We find that technological uncertainty and possessing complementary assets raise the propensity for internal commercialization. We find that R&D collaboration with firms in a horizontal relationship is likely to increase the propensity to license the invention. In addition, the paper shows that macro-level environment conditions that affect exchange conditions, such as technology familiarity, influence the effects of capabilities on governance choice.
    Keywords: transaction cost economics; knowledge-based view; collaboration ties; commercialization; innovation; patent
    JEL: O32
    Date: 2011–04–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2011_003&r=ino
  2. By: Norbäck, Pehr-Johan (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)); Persson, Lars (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN)); Tåg, Joacim (Research Institute of Industrial Economics (IFN))
    Abstract: Why do so many high-priced acquisitions of entrepreneurial firms take place in network industries? We develop a theory of commercialization (entry or sale) in network industries showing that high equilibrium acquisition prices are driven by the incumbents' desire to prevent rivals from acquiring innovative entrepreneurial firms. This preemptive motive becomes more important when there is an increase in network effects. A consequence is higher innovation incentives under an acquisition relative to entry. A policy enforcing strict compatibility leads to more entry, but can be counterproductive by reducing bidding competition, thereby also reducing acquisition prices and innovation incentives.
    Keywords: Acquisitions; Commercialization; Compatibility; Entry; Network effects; Innovation; R&D; Regulation
    JEL: L10 L15 L26 L50 L86 O31
    Date: 2011–04–06
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:iuiwop:0867&r=ino
  3. By: Chu, Angus C.; Lai, Ching-Chong; Liao, Chih-Hsing
    Abstract: How do intellectual property rights that determine the market power of firms influence the effects of monetary policy on economic growth and social welfare? To analyze this question, we develop a monetary R&D-based growth model with elastic labor supply. We find that monetary expansion reduces growth and welfare through a decrease in labor supply that reduces R&D. Furthermore, a larger market power of firms strengthens these effects of monetary policy in the R&D model. In contrast, increasing the market power of firms dampens the growth and welfare effects of monetary policy in the AK model. Therefore, the market power of firms has drastically different implications on the welfare cost of inflation under the two growth engines (i.e., innovation versus capital accumulation). We also calibrate the two models using data in the US and the Euro Area to quantitatively evaluate and compare the welfare cost of inflation in the two economies. Finally, we simulate transition dynamics of the R&D model in order to compute the complete welfare changes from reducing inflation.
    Keywords: economic growth; inflation; monetary policy; patent policy; R&D
    JEL: O30 O40 E41
    Date: 2010–10
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:30105&r=ino
  4. By: Eskil Ullberg (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University);
    Abstract: We are well familiar with the economic analysis of a patent system in terms of a temporary monopoly on products, benefitting from marginal process inventions, formulated under conditions of certain future demands. This article develops an experimental and dynamic microeconomic model useful for studying the patent system as a trade system, where patented technology is exchanged in organized competitive markets, under uncertain future demands. An economic system design is developed to study transparent prices of patents, dynamic gains from using a patent in multiple industries and the coordination of invention, intermediary and innovation activities using a linear contract on patents (fixed fee plus royalty on revenues). A trader is introduced together with inventor and innovator agents in order to multiply the value (use) of the technology. Three mechanism designs and two levels of presumption of validity of the underlying patent right are proposed. The analysis differs from previous work on patents, trade andeconomics in that the focus is on the competitive pricing of the rights themselves, using demand side bidding. An informal theory is outlined to price the dual values of a patent (investing and blocking). Based on this proposition tentative hypothesis are outlined for two initial experiments using the outlined economic system design.Creation-Date: 2010-04
    Keywords: patents, organized markets, trade, licensing, technology
    JEL: D02 D23 L14 L24 O32 O34
    Date: 2010–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gms:wpaper:1016&r=ino
  5. By: Karlsson, Charlie (Jönköping International Business School); Johansson, Börje (CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies, Royal Institute of Technology); Norman, Therese (CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies, Royal Institute of Technology)
    Abstract: This paper outlines a set of fundamental changes in the global economy that have altered the nature of the innovation process, brought about global challenges, and stimulated cross border phenomena and network formation responses. These changes has brought about an increase of the demand for knowledge as well as changed the conditions for knowledge production and innovation. Against the background of a changing global economy, the purpose of the paper is to make an overview over the role and drivers of innovation, technology and knowledge. The role of absorptive capacity and knowledge flows between economic agents from different spatial units for economic growth is further emphasized. Furthermore, it is recognized in the paper that national innovative productivity depends upon the national innovation systems. Multinationals play an increasingly central role for the transfer of knowledge between different parts of the world. This paper thoroughly examines the way multinationals contribute to innovation, technology and knowledge dispersion. The distribution of knowledge investments is uneven across the globe and the occurrence of the “European paradox” highlights where Europe has failed in this context.
    Keywords: Innovation; technology; knowledge; globalisation; multinationals; European paradox
    JEL: O33
    Date: 2011–04–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0247&r=ino
  6. By: Raquel Ortega-Argilés (Faculty of Economics, University of Barcelona); Mariacristina Piva (-); Marco Vivarelli (-)
    Abstract: The literature has pointed to different causes to explain the productivity gap between Europe and United States in the last decades. This paper tests the hypothesis that the lower European productivity performance in comparison with the US can be explained not only by a lower level of corporate R&D investment, but also by a lower capacity to translate R&D investment into productivity gains. The proposed microeconometric estimates are based on a unique longitudinal database covering the period 1990-2008 and comprising 1,809 US and European companies for a total of 16,079 observations. Consistent with previous literature, we find robust evidence of a significant impact of R&D on productivity; however – using different estimation techniques - the R&D coefficients for the US firms always turn out to be significantly higher. To see to what extent these transatlantic differences may be related to the different sectoral structures in the US and the EU, we differentiated the analysis by sectors. The result is that both in manufacturing, services and high-tech sectors US firms are more efficient in translating their R&D investments into productivity increases.
    Keywords: R&D, productivity, embodied technological change, US, EU. JEL classification:O33
    Date: 2011–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ira:wpaper:201103&r=ino
  7. By: Eskil Ullberg (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University);
    Abstract: The patent system makes organized markets in patents with transparent prices possible. Such prices are here investigated as “signals” for inventors and innovators alike ofv aluable “technology areas”, in an experimental study. They inform decisions of specialized “firms” on allocation of resources for invention given a search space of induced technology values. The traditional hierarchical model of coordinating invention and innovation in a vertically integrated firm is replaced by coordination of these activities among specialized firms through a market with prices. The experimental study builds on a study focusing on price mechanisms with exogenous technology values to a study of an economic environment with “endogenous” technology values. The results suggest that coordination clearly takes place but differs considerably between the institutions and patent validity tested (a 3 x 2 design). As with the price study, demand-side bidding in both dimensions of the linear contract appears to yield the broadest search scope, and thus the best chances for the allocation of resources for invention. Multiple end-states are observed, especially for institutions with less demand-side bidding, indicating imprecise price signals for institutions similar to today’s personal exchange. Coordination with prices appears to increase the dynamic gains of the patent system through price information to reduce or better inform about the risk in investments in new technology.
    Keywords: patents, trade, licensing, intellectual property, experiments
    JEL: D02 D23 L14 L24 O32 O34
    Date: 2010–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gms:wpaper:1018&r=ino
  8. By: Halkos, George; Tzeremes, Nickolaos
    Abstract: This paper contributes to the link between social and cultural factors with countries innovation performance. By measuring 25 countries’ innovation efficiency with the use of conditional and unconditional DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) frontiers the paper provides empirical evidence of the effect of culture on countries’ innovation efficiency. Particularly, conditional and unconditional full frontier models are used alongside with bootstrap techniques in order to determine the effect of national culture on countries’ innovation performance. The study illustrates how the recent developments in efficiency analysis and statistical inference can be applied when evaluating such issues. The results reveal that national culture has an impact on countries’ innovation efficiency. Analytically, the results indicate that higher PDI (power distance index), IDV (individualism) and UAI (uncertainty avoidance) values have a negative effect on countries innovation efficiency, whereas masculinity values appear to have a positive effect on countries innovation performance.
    Keywords: National culture; Innovation efficiency; Conditional efficiency; Bootstrap procedures
    JEL: C14 C02 C61 Z13 O14
    Date: 2011–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:30100&r=ino
  9. By: Eskil Ullberg (Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University);
    Abstract: The question of how prices on patents rights should be determined in impersonal exchanges is examined in a laboratory environment. Dynamic gains from such organized trade with public prices are recorded. The experiment introduces a competitive market with impersonal exchange mechanisms and prices in the traditionally hierarchical and personal exchange of patents. A tradable linear contract (fixed fee plus royalty)is investigated with three mechanism designs for demand-side bidding and two levels of presumed legal validity of the underlying patent. A “trader” can split contracts useful for multiple “industries,” creating dynamic gains, potentially increasing the use of technology in the economic system. Previous research on licensing has mostly been limited to one-dimensional auction mechanisms or static environments. The results indicate that agents appear to price the blocking value in the fixed fee and the investment value, net what is paid in fixed, in the royalty component, supporting a proposed theory of prices. Risks are thereby shifted from the invention to the consumer by means of this producer market, increasing the incentives for investment in invention, potentially resulting in a more competitive technology being developed and a more efficient economic system. The results give indications on proper integration of information and rules for mechanisms for organized market on patents with transparent prices. It also shows that intermediaries (traders) are critical to achieve dynamic gains from the system as are high presumed validity of patents.
    Keywords: patents, trade, licensing, intellectual property, experiments
    JEL: D02 D23 L14 L24 O32 O34
    Date: 2010–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gms:wpaper:1017&r=ino
  10. By: Martin, Roman (CIRCLE, Lund University); Moodysson , Jerker (CIRCLE, Lund University)
    Abstract: This paper deals with knowledge flows and collaboration between firms in the regional innovation system of southern Sweden. It focuses on industries which draw on different types of knowledge bases. The aim is to analyse how the functional and spatial organisation of knowledge interdependencies among firms and other actors vary between different types of industries which are part of the same regional innovation system. We argue that knowledge sourcing and exchange in geographical proximity is especially important for industries that rely on a synthetic or symbolic knowledge base, since the interpretation of the knowledge they deal with tend to differ between places. This is less the case for industries drawing on an analytical knowledge base, which rely more on scientific knowledge that is codified, abstract and universal, and therefore less sensitive to geographical distance. Thus, geographic clustering of firms in analytical industries builds on other rationale than the need of proximity for knowledge sourcing and exchange. To analyse these assumptions empirically, we draw on data from three case studies of firm clusters in the region of southern Sweden: (1) the life science cluster represents an analytical (science) based industry, (2) the food cluster includes mainly synthetic (engineering) based industries, and (3) the moving media cluster is considered as symbolic (artistic) based. Knowledge sourcing and knowledge exchange in each of the cases are explored and compared using social network analysis in association with a dataset gathered through interviews with firm representatives.
    Keywords: knowledge bases; life science; food cluster; moving media; Sweden
    JEL: O32
    Date: 2011–04–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2011_002&r=ino
  11. By: Sterlacchini, Alessandro; Venturini, Francesco
    Abstract: Using data for twelve manufacturing industries over the period 1980-2006, we perform for Italy and Spain a dynamic panel estimation of the long-run elasticity of TFP with respect to R&D capital. The results show that in Spain high-tech industries have experienced a similar or slightly higher R&D elasticity than their Italian counterparts. This is mainly attributable to what occurred from the mid 1990s onwards when, thanks to increasing R&D efforts, the Spanish industries have been able to catch up with the respect to the Italian ones. The policy implications of the above findings are discussed.
    Keywords: Manufacturing industries; Italy and Spain; Productivity growth; R&D capital
    JEL: O30 O40 L60
    Date: 2011–04–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:30048&r=ino
  12. By: Massimo, Riccaboni; Jakub, Growiec; Fabio, Pammolli
    Abstract: We provide a detailed analysis of a generalized proportional growth model (GPGM) of innovation and corporate dynamics that encompasses the Gibrat’s Law of Proportionate Effect and the Simon growth process as particular instances. The predictions of the model are derived in terms of (i) firm size distribution, (ii) the distribution of firm growth rates, and (iii-iv) the relationships between firm size and the mean and variance of firm growth rates. We test the model against data from the worldwide pharmaceutical industry and find its predictions to be in good agreement with empirical evidence on all four dimensions.
    Keywords: Business firm size; firm growth distribution; Gibrat’s Law; Pareto distribution; lognormal distribution; size-variance relationship.
    JEL: L25 L65 L11 C49
    Date: 2011–03–26
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:30046&r=ino
  13. By: Michele Boldrin; David K Levine
    Date: 2011–04–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cla:levarc:786969000000000082&r=ino

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