The impact of licensed-knowledge attributes on the innovation performance of licensee firms: evidence from the Chinese electronic industry

• Published in: The Journal of technology transfer 2013-10, Vol.38 (5), p.699-715
• Main Authors: Wang, Yuandi, Zhou, Zhao, Li-Ying, Jason
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Business and Management; China; China (People's Republic); Commercial Law; Complexity; Datasets; Developing countries; Economic Growth; Electronics; Electronics industry; Empirical analysis; Hypotheses; Industrial Organization; Innovation/Technology Management; Innovations; Intellectual property; Knowledge; LDCs; Learning; Licensed products; Licenses; Licensing; Management; Offices; Product development; Property, Intellectual; R&D; Research & development; Studies; Technology; Technology transfer
• ISSN: 0892-9912; 0892-9912; 1573-7047
• DOI: 10.1007/s10961-012-9260-0

In this article, we provide a compelling case for demonstrating “learning-by-licensing,” and we further investigate the moderating effect of specific licensed-knowledge attributes on the innovation performance of licensee firms. This case is based on a unique dataset from the China State of Intellectual Property Office regarding technology-licensing activities and spanning the years 2000–2010. Using this dataset we make a longitudinal analysis of the lagging learning effect that transferee firms experience when they in-license technology. The empirical results from 71 Chinese electronic-industry firms reconfirm the concept of “learning-by-licensing.” Moreover, the results also indicate that both technology complexity and technology generality, which are attributes of licensed knowledge, have positive moderating effects on the relationship between technology in-licensing and the subsequent innovation performance of licensee firms. However, such a positive moderating effect was not found for the newness of technology.