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Inter-firm technology transfer: Partnership-embedded licensing or standard licensing agreements?

Author

Listed:
  • Hagedoorn, John

    (UNU-MERIT and University of Maastricht)

  • Lorenz-Orlean, Stefanie

    (University of Maastricht)

  • Kranenburg, Hans

    (Radboud University Nijmegen)

Abstract

When companies decide to engage in technology transfer through licensing to other firms, they have two basic options: to use standard licensing contracts or to set-up more elaborate partnership-embedded licensing agreements. We find that broader partnership-embedded licensing agreements are preferred with higher levels of technological sophistication of industries, with greater perceived effectiveness of secrecy as a means of appropriability, and when licensors are smaller than their licensees. Innovative differentials between companies, innovative supremacy of the licensor, and market and technological overlap between partners appear to have no effect on the preference for a particular form of licensing.

Suggested Citation

  • Hagedoorn, John & Lorenz-Orlean, Stefanie & Kranenburg, Hans, 2007. "Inter-firm technology transfer: Partnership-embedded licensing or standard licensing agreements?," MERIT Working Papers 2007-006, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2007006
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    technology transfer; licensing; inter-firm partnership; innovation;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions

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