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Innovation in the service sector and the role of patents and trade secrets: Evidence from Japanese firms

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  • Morikawa, Masayuki

Abstract

This study, using Japanese firm-level data, presents empirical findings on innovation in the service sector and the role of patents and trade secrets. Service firms have fewer product innovations than manufacturing firms do, but the productivity of innovative service firms is very high. Service firms have a low propensity to hold patents, but their holding of trade secrets is comparable to that of manufacturing firms. Product/service innovations have positive relationships with holding patents and trade secrets in both industries, but a positive association of process innovations is found only with holding trade secrets in the manufacturing industry.

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  • Morikawa, Masayuki, 2019. "Innovation in the service sector and the role of patents and trade secrets: Evidence from Japanese firms," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 43-51.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jjieco:v:51:y:2019:i:c:p:43-51
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jjie.2018.10.003
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    5. Becker, Bettina & Roper, Stephen & Vanino, Enrico, 2023. "Assessing innovation spillovers from publicly funded R&D and innovation support: Evidence from the UK," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Morikawa, Masayuki, 2020. "Effects of outside directors on firms’ investments and performance: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    7. Zhiwen Li & Oswin Aganda Anaba & Zhiqiang Ma & Mingxing Li, 2021. "Ghanaian SMEs Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluating the Influence of Entrepreneurial Orientation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-27, January.
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    9. Kim, Yong Jin & Lee, Duk Hee, 2020. "Technology convergence networks for flexible display application: A comparative analysis of latecomers and leaders," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Service sector; Patent; Trade secret; Productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • L80 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - General

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