Title: The availability, strength and efficiency of appropriability mechanisms – protecting investments in knowledge creation

Authors: Pia Hurmelinna-Laukkanen

Addresses: School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland; Department of Economics and Business Administration, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4600, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland

Abstract: Innovations that show signs of becoming successful are very likely to be widely imitated. Therefore, making intellectual assets proprietary and taking control over them may be critical in terms of getting adequate returns on investments. There are several mechanisms a firm can use to build a protective fence around its innovations. These mechanisms are very different in terms of their availability and strength in protecting intangibles, for example and their efficiency on the strategic level, meaning their suitability for the aims of the company also varies a lot. These three dimensions of appropriability are, therefore, worth closer examination.

Keywords: appropriability mechanisms; appropriability regimes; appropriability strategy; efficiency; imitation; knowledge protection; innovation protection; intellectual assets; intangibles; knowledge creation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2009.022653

International Journal of Technology Management, 2009 Vol.45 No.3/4, pp.282 - 290

Published online: 24 Jan 2009 *

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