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Stakes and Stars: The Effect of Intellectual Human Capital on the Level and Variability of High-Tech Firms' Market Values

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  • Michael R. Darby
  • Qiao Liu
  • Lynne G. Zucker

Abstract

High-tech firms are built much more on the intellectual capital of key personnel than on physical assets, and firms built around the best scientists are most likely to be successful in commercializing breakthrough technologies. As a result, such firms are expected to have higher market values than similar firms less well endowed. In this paper we develop and implement an option-pricing based technique for valuing these and similar intangible assets by examining the effect of ties to star scientists on the market value of new biotech firms. Since firms with more star ties are likely to have a greater probability per unit time of making a commercially valurable R&D breakthrough, we argue and confirm empirically that both the value of the firm and the likelihood of jumps in the value are increasing in the number of star ties. These effects can be financially as well as statistically significant: for two firms with mean values for other variables, the predicted increase in market value of a firm with one article written by a star as or with a firm employee is 7.3% or 16 million 1984 dollars compared to a firm with no articles.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael R. Darby & Qiao Liu & Lynne G. Zucker, 1999. "Stakes and Stars: The Effect of Intellectual Human Capital on the Level and Variability of High-Tech Firms' Market Values," NBER Working Papers 7201, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:7201
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    7. Lynne G. Zucker & Michael R. Darby & Jeff Armstrong, 1994. "Intellectual Capital and the Firm: The Technology of Geographically Localized Knowledge Spillovers," NBER Working Papers 4946, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fabiano, Gianluca & Marcellusi, Andrea & Favato, Giampiero, 2021. "R versus D, from knowledge creation to value appropriation: Ownership of patents filed by European biotechnology founders," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    2. Jue Wang & Philip Shapira, 2012. "Partnering with universities: a good choice for nanotechnology start-up firms?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 197-215, February.
    3. Roberto Camerani & Daniele Rotolo & Nicola Grassano, 2018. "Do firms publish? A multi-sectoral analysis," JRC Working Papers on Corporate R&D and Innovation 2018-05, Joint Research Centre.
    4. Bronwyn H. Hall, 2006. "R&D, productivity and market value," IFS Working Papers W06/23, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    5. Kelley A. Packalen, 2007. "Complementing Capital: The Role of Status, Demographic Features, and Social Capital in Founding Teams’ Abilities to Obtain Resources," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(6), pages 873-891, November.
    6. Gospel J. Chukwu & Chibuike Camillus Ugo & Benjamin C. Osisioma, 2019. "Market Valuation of Human Capital in Nigerian Banks," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 9(1), pages 21-29, January.
    7. Forum Franco Allemand, 2000. "The First Year of EMU," Working Papers 2000-05, CEPII research center.
    8. Morales, Rosa & Radoniqi, Fatos, 2017. "Intangibles and the Market Value of Biopharmaceutical Startups," MPRA Paper 88580, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Pukthuanthong, Kuntara, 2006. "Underwriter learning about unfamiliar firms: Evidence from the history of biotech IPOS," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 366-407, November.
    10. Elfenbein, Daniel W., 2007. "Publications, patents, and the market for university inventions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 688-715, August.
    11. Michael R. Darby & Lynne G. Zucker, 2002. "Going Public When You Can in Biotechnology," NBER Working Papers 8954, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Emmanuelle Dubocage & Géraldine Galindo, 2008. "Le rôle des capital-risqueurs dans l'isomorphisme stratégique des "biotechs"," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 11(4), pages 5-30, December.
    13. Jong, Simcha & Slavova, Kremena, 2014. "When publications lead to products: The open science conundrum in new product development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 645-654.
    14. Dubocage, Emmanuelle & Galindo, Géraldine, 2014. "Understanding founder–CEO’s replacement in venture-backed companies: A theoretical and empirical analysis," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 461-474.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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