The IPR of the beholder: The Economics and Strategy knowledge based on IPR, patents and trademarks

Abstract

The economics and strategy literature is an useful resource for professions and policy-makers involved in patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights (IPRs). Understanding how this knowledge accumulates is crucial for identifying, analyzing, evaluating, anticipating, and governing of stakeholders in the world of intangibles information. This paper uses bibliographic data to identify, classify and assess research documents around IPR topics from the Economics discipline and from the Strategic perspective. For this, we investigate the trajectories of IPR-related research in the top-10 journals of both economic science and business strategy. Evidence shows new contributions have trended upwards at similar rates in both disciplinary realms, but that the total volume of Strategy research is two times higher than Economics science. Stylised facts may be of use to leaders and experts in IPR offices who need to be up-to-date with the scientific literature but want to build panoramic awareness and retain critical insight.