Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

4-2019

Abstract

We study the role of the relationship among inventors and intermediaries in the licensing of university inventions. We suggest that a prior inventor-intermediaries relationship positively influences licensing rates through selective retention of higher quality relationships and mutual learning in the relationship, enabling intermediaries to reduce both information asymmetry and search costs between inventors and potential licensees. We argue that the influence of a prior inventor-intermediaries relationship on licensing is especially important before intellectual property protection is attained and can be substituted by the buyer-side contacts of inventors and intermediaries. We test these predictions using 919 inventions from the technology transfer office at Stanford University. This study has implications for the policies and design of university technology licensing organizations.

Keywords

Prior Relationship, Intermediaries, Licensing, Academic Science, Intellectual Property

Discipline

Strategic Management Policy | Technology and Innovation

Research Areas

Strategy and Organisation

Publication

Research Policy

Volume

48

Issue

3

First Page

813

Last Page

829

ISSN

0048-7333

Identifier

10.1016/j.respol.2018.11.007

Publisher

Elsevier

Embargo Period

11-28-2018

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.11.007

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