Willoughby (2013)

Source Details

Willoughby (2013)
Title:	Intellectual Property Management and Technological Entrepreneurship
Author(s):	Willoughby, K.
Year:	2013
Citation:	Willoughby, K. W. (2013). Intellectual property management and technological entrepreneurship. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, 10(06), 1340027.
Link(s):	Open Access
Key Related Studies:	Curado and Bontis (2006) Boldrin and Levine (2008) Craig and Moore (2011) Dolfsma (2011)
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Cross Country Study?:	No
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Literature review?:	Yes
Government or policy study?:	No
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Abstract

This paper investigates the distinctive technology protection strategies of entrepreneurial technology firms. In contrast with much popular opinion, it is reported that intellectual property features more prominently in the business of small entrepreneurial firms than it does in the business of large, established mature firms. The intellectual property portfolios of technology firms of all sizes and ages exhibit a rich array of instruments in addition to patents for protecting technology, including trade secrets, trademarks and copyright, together with licenses to externally sourced technology. The intellectual property profiles of technology firms appear to be influenced by their context, organizational profiles and corporate goals and by the character of their technology.

Main Results of the Study

• It is suggested that the development of an intellectual property strategy for a

technology firm is heavily influenced by the firm’s context, its organizational profile, its corporate goals and the character of its technology; and that this general principle applies to small and young firms at least as much as it applies to large and established firms.

• Thus, the challenges of developing and implementing an intellectual property strategy—

for small and young firms as well as large and established firms—mirror those of developing an overall business strategy or corporate strategy, in terms of both the complexity of the challenges and the contingencies that may come in to play.

• A number of commentators and observers believe that the benefits of intellectual property

accrue disproportionately to large established firms and that the costs (both direct costs and transaction costs) of obtaining intellectual property rights, and of appropriating business value from them, work against the interests of small and medium sized enterprises. The fact (at least as reported in this paper) that small and medium sized enterprises typically invest proportionally more heavily in intellectual property than do large established firms, suggests that some popular beliefs about this subject are misplaced. The distinctive intellectual property profiles of entrepreneurial technology firms, in contrast with those of the large established firms, may provide clues as to how entrepreneurial managers go about crafting strategies to match their difficult circumstances.

Coverage of Study

Coverage of Fundamental Issues

Issue	Included within Study
Relationship between protection (subject matter/term/scope) and supply/economic development/growth/welfare
Relationship between creative process and protection - what motivates creators (e.g. attribution; control; remuneration; time allocation)?
Harmony of interest assumption between authors and publishers (creators and producers/investors)
Effects of protection on industry structure (e.g. oligopolies; competition; economics of superstars; business models; technology adoption)
Understanding consumption/use (e.g. determinants of unlawful behaviour; user-generated content; social media)

Coverage of Evidence Based Policies

Issue	Included within Study
Nature and Scope of exclusive rights (hyperlinking/browsing; reproduction right)
Exceptions (distinguish innovation and public policy purposes; open-ended/closed list; commercial/non-commercial distinction)
Mass digitisation/orphan works (non-use; extended collective licensing)
Licensing and Business models (collecting societies; meta data; exchanges/hubs; windowing; crossborder availability)
Fair remuneration (levies; copyright contracts)
Enforcement (quantifying infringement; criminal sanctions; intermediary liability; graduated response; litigation and court data; commercial/non-commercial distinction; education and awareness)

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