Appropriating Innovation profits

This project will seek to enhance our understanding of the means by which firms appropriate return to their past investments in IP and how they seek to commercialise it. We will explore systematic differences between industries, type of firm and class of IP.

Established successful pathways for the commercialisation of domestic inventions can provide illuminating examples for emerging innovators. An important part of the commercialisation process is to ensure that firms are able to reap the reward from developing their own intellectual capital. However, little is known about the effectiveness of different methods used by Australian firms. Low effectiveness is likely to be a hindrance to attaining socially optimal levels of investment.

Two main methods will be used: case study analysis and enterprise level surveys. The Melbourne Institute has an existing enterprise level survey which it supplements with data from IBIS and IP Australia. Wave 1 of this survey, which was in the field during 2001, includes questions on innovation and appropriability, market background, management strategy and firm performance. The IBIS dataset supplements this will data on firm size, industry, profitability and sales and R&D expenditure. In addition data from IP Australia has been modified so it can be merged in together with the other data.

Paper produced under this project include:

For further information on these papers of the data sets used please contact Professor Elizabeth Webster on [email protected]

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Professor Paul Jensen