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Does it pay to stand on the shoulders of giants? An analysis of the inventions of star inventors in the biotechnology sector

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  • Hohberger, Jan

Abstract

Previous research has highlighted the importance of star inventors for invention success and firm performance. However, we have limited knowledge regarding the indirect influence of star inventors on knowledge generation and how the ideas of star inventors influence subsequent invention performance. Therefore, this study uses biotechnology patents to investigate the extent to which star inventors influence the value of subsequent inventions. It explores whether non-star inventors can build, just as successfully, on the ideas of star inventors as star inventors. The results show that having a star directly involved in the generation of an invention, and building upon other star invention/s, is positively related to invention performance. However, stars are not better than non-stars at building upon earlier star inventions, and in fact, stars building upon their own, previous, inventions negatively affects the outcome/s of their future inventions. Furthermore, these results hold true for both general and high-value inventions. Overall, this study highlights the importance of stars in cumulative knowledge generation, but also shows the limits of self-referencing and individual path-dependency.

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  • Hohberger, Jan, 2016. "Does it pay to stand on the shoulders of giants? An analysis of the inventions of star inventors in the biotechnology sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 682-698.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:45:y:2016:i:3:p:682-698
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2015.12.003
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    3. Sara Amoroso & Simone Vannuccini, 2019. "Teaming up with Large R&D Investors: Good or Bad for Knowledge Production and Diffusion?," SPRU Working Paper Series 2019-20, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    4. Hohberger, Jan & Kruger, Heidi & Almeida, Paul, 2020. "Does separation hurt? The impact of premature termination of R&D alliances on knowledge acquisition and innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(6).
    5. Betancourt, Nathan & Jochem, Torsten & Otner, Sarah M.G., 2023. "Standing on the shoulders of giants: How star scientists influence their coauthors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    6. Yutao Sun & Ying Zhang & Xiaofei Zhang, 2023. "Reconfiguring star inventors with commercialization: a case of the graphene sector," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(10), pages 5411-5440, October.
    7. Federico Caviggioli & Boris Forthmann, 2022. "Reach for the stars: disentangling quantity and quality of inventors’ productivity in a multifaceted latent variable model," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(12), pages 7015-7040, December.
    8. Libo Sheng & Dongqing Lyu & Xuanmin Ruan & Hongquan Shen & Ying Cheng, 2023. "The association between prior knowledge and the disruption of an article," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(8), pages 4731-4751, August.
    9. Farzaneh, Mandana & Wilden, Ralf & Afshari, Leila & Mehralian, Gholamhossein, 2022. "Dynamic capabilities and innovation ambidexterity: The roles of intellectual capital and innovation orientation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 47-59.
    10. Hohberger, Jan & Wilden, Ralf, 2022. "Geographic diversity of knowledge inputs: The importance of aligning locations of knowledge inputs and inventors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 705-719.
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    13. Khanna, Rajat, 2023. "Passing the torch of knowledge: Star death, collaborative ties, and knowledge creation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).

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