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Investigating Collaborative R&D Using Patent Data: The Case Study of Robot Technology in Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Sébastien Lechevalier
  • Yukio Ikeda
  • Junichi Nishimura

Abstract

The growing trend of collaborative R&D has been well documented recently, both at a global level and through national and industry case studies. However, there is not yet any consensus regarding the following decisive questions: what are the exact level and evolution of R&D collaboration? What are the benefits of collaboration? What are the motives and determinants of firms engaging in R&D collaboration? In our opinion, these questions have not yet been answered due to the limitations of the data used in most empirical studies (large questionnaire surveys or very specific case studies). The main novelty of this paper is the use of patent data with a focus on information concerning inventors. These data are less biased than questionnaire surveys in terms of the size of the institutions; they are objective and are particularly appropriate for analyzing the benefits of collaboration. As the identification of the institutions to which individual inventors are affiliated is a particularly time consuming task, we focus on robot technology in Japan since the beginning of the 1990s. Our results are as follows. First, although the level of R&D collaboration in RT in Japan increased between 1991 and 2004, especially in the case of collaboration between firms and universities, it still remains low and is dominated by inter-firm collaborations. Second, we cannot definitively reject the conclusion that only the scale of the research has an impact on the quality of patents, when the unit of analysis is the patent; however, we show that there are significant spillover effects of collaboration, which imply an indirect effect on quality. Third, the determinants and motives which encourage firms to decide to engage in collaborative research differ depending on the partner they are collaborating with. In the case of collaboration with other firms, IO theories hold, as the existence of spillovers acts as an incentive. Regarding the collaboration with universities and public research in
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Lechevalier & Yukio Ikeda & Junichi Nishimura, 2011. "Investigating Collaborative R&D Using Patent Data: The Case Study of Robot Technology in Japan," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(5), pages 305-323, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:32:y:2011:i:5:p:305-323
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    Cited by:

    1. Lechevalier, Sébastien & Nishimura, Junichi & Storz, Cornelia, 2014. "Diversity in patterns of industry evolution: How an intrapreneurial regime contributed to the emergence of the service robot industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(10), pages 1716-1729.
    2. Talya Ponchek, 2016. "To Collaborate or Not to Collaborate? A Study of the Value of Innovation from a Sectoral Perspective," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 7(1), pages 43-79, March.
    3. Huang, Mu-Hsuan & Dong, Huei-Ru & Chen, Dar-Zen, 2012. "Globalization of collaborative creativity through cross-border patent activities," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 6(2), pages 226-236.
    4. Mu-Hsuan Huang & Hsiao-Wen Yang & Dar-Zen Chen, 2015. "Industry–academia collaboration in fuel cells: a perspective from paper and patent analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(2), pages 1301-1318, November.

    More about this item

    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
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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