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Early patent disclosure and R&D investment in family firms

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  • Hussinger, Katrin
  • Issah, Wunnam

Abstract

This paper shows that the American Inventor's Protection Act, which introduced the disclosure of patent applications after 18 months, i.e. before a grant decision is taken and, hence, before it is known whether the respective technology receives legal protection, is associated with a reduction of family firms' research and development (R&D) investment. This suggests that early disclosure of patent applications is perceived as a threat to family firms' innovation activity and discourages their R&D investment. This finding deserves our attention because family firms account for a large share of the U.S. economy and a reduction of their R&D investment can have long-term consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Hussinger, Katrin & Issah, Wunnam, 2023. "Early patent disclosure and R&D investment in family firms," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-044, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:279811
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D investments; AIPA; Family firms; Socio-emotional wealth (SEW);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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