This paper examines intellectual property (IP) management in U.S. companies and addresses three questions: What are typical sources of IP? How do companies manage IP? What role do donations of IP play in IP management?We used a combination of in-depth interviews with a sample of 15 companies in Northeast Ohio and an on-line survey to over 7,200 companies nationally. We found that firms develop their IP position from a wide variety of sources such as joint ventures, acquisitions, and consulting contracts. However, internal development is still the primary source of IP. Internal patenting processes follow two general paths, one relying on some type of IP committee and another that simply empowers divisional line managers to make patenting decisions.Organizationally, three structural archetypes of IP management were identified, each with its unique advantages and drawbacks: a centralized structure, a purely decentralized IP structure and a compromise structure involving a divisional assignment where a multi-business unit or division committee oversees IP.Concerning IP donations, the response rate to our on-line survey was too low for us to draw definitive conclusions. IP donations clearly do not appear to be a major phenomenon at the present time. Our survey results suggest that tax benefits are an important driver and that recent tax law changes have diminished the incentives to donate IP. Potential good will benefits constitute another motive. The uncertainty of tax benefits and the costs associated with IP valuation appear to be the main disincentives. The low survey response rate may be attributable to the timing of the survey (fall, 2004, while federal legislation was pending), a lack of interest in IP donations, and the generally low response rates to on-line surveys.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.