Title: Aligning strategy and intellectual property to maximise business value: a proposal for new technology-based firms

Authors: Michael J. Lynskey

Addresses: Said Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 1HP, UK

Abstract: New technology-based firms must secure intellectual property rights (IPR) on novel products and processes to achieve legitimacy, to attract early finance and to increase their likelihood of survival. To maximise the business value of such IPR, firms need to recognise that intellectual property (IP) is now treated as if it is a tangible product. Accordingly, we suggest that corporate strategy should recognise IP as an activity and as part of a value chain. A coherent strategy should deliver balanced and effective IP, to ensure that what is protected and leveraged by firms is of genuine business value and has the best chance of being licensed.

Keywords: IPR; intellectual property rights; licensing; patents; business strategy; value chain; new technology-based firms; NTBF.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2009.026909

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2009 Vol.3 No.4, pp.301 - 325

Published online: 08 Jul 2009 *

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