Title: A comparative study of in-house R&D and joint R&D using patent information analysis

Authors: Toshio Hashimoto; Yoshitoshi Tanaka

Addresses: Graduate School of Innovation Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan ' Graduate School of Innovation Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: This research compares and discusses in-house R&D and joint R&D, focusing on the ratio of patent granting and the level of inventive step of the inventions described in patent applications and patents, by using patent information analysis. The result of the R&D study shows that the level of inventive step of in-house inventions increases along with the progress of R&D activities, while the level of inventive step of joint R&D does not increase, but satisfies the company's demand to absorb outside technologies with higher ratio of patent registration, etc. Companies are expected not only to create their own core technologies without joint R&D, but also to define the targeted technologies which can be absorbed efficiently from external partners.

Keywords: joint R&D; in-house R&D; research and development; patent analysis; co-owned patents; patent applications; inventive steps; external technology; external partners; Japan; granting patents; intellectual property.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSE.2014.071244

International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry, 2014 Vol.7 No.1, pp.49 - 63

Published online: 18 Aug 2015 *

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