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Are the Blockchain-Based Patents Sustainable for Increasing Firm Value?

Author

Listed:
  • Horim Kim

    (Korea University Business School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea)

  • Jaeyoung Kim

    (Division of Convergence Business, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Korea)

  • Kyungmyung Jang

    (Korea University Business School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea)

  • Jaemin Han

    (Korea University Business School, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea)

Abstract

Blockchain technology is changing conventional online transaction systems by eliminating payment gateway firms. The blockchain technology is highly attractive and has earned a lot of attention from investors and firms. To protect blockchain technology, firms acquire a patent of blockchain for enhancing the value of their blockchain technology. However, the sustainable value for a patent of blockchain has not been clearly explored. For this reason, our research attempted to explore the relationship between a patent of blockchain and firm value. We used a real options theory and built robust empirical tests based on United State Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) data. We collected the patents of blockchains from 2014 to 2018 and matched financial data from the Compustat database. In total, we found 153 panel observations. Our results suggest that a firm’s patent of blockchain originality and t-1 lagged effects for a firm’s patent of blockchain generality are positively associated with firm value in general. In addition, the sustainable value for the patent of blockchain affects firms differently based on their industry. We found that the sustainable value for the patent of blockchain originality was positively and exclusively associated with the software industry, while the sustainable value for the patent of blockchain generality was positively and exclusively associated with the hardware industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Horim Kim & Jaeyoung Kim & Kyungmyung Jang & Jaemin Han, 2020. "Are the Blockchain-Based Patents Sustainable for Increasing Firm Value?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1739-:d:325168
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hui Zhang & Huanhuan Xiong & Jianxin Xu, 2022. "Dynamic Simulation Research on the Effect of Governance Mechanism on Value Co-Creation of Blockchain Industry Ecosystem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Xiaolin Li & Hongbo Jiao & Liming Cheng & Yilin Yin & Huimin Li & Wenqing Mu & Ruirui Zhang, 2023. "A Quantitative and Qualitative Review of Blockchain Research from 2015 to 2021," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Jinmin Kim & Jaeyoung Kim, 2021. "An Integrated Analysis of Value-Based Adoption Model and Information Systems Success Model for PropTech Service Platform," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.

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