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Incentives and Invention in Universities

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Author Info
Lach, Saul
Schankerman, Mark

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Abstract

Using data on U.S. universities, we show that universities that give higher royalty shares to faculty scientists generate greater license income, controlling for university size, academic quality, research funding and other factors. We use pre-sample data on university patenting to control for the potential endogeneity of royalty shares. We find that scientists respond both to cash royalties and to royalties used to support their research labs, suggesting both pecuniary and intrinsic (research) motivations. The incentive effects appear to be larger in private universities than in public ones, and we provide survey evidence indicating this may be related to differences in the use of performance pay, government constraints, and local development objectives of technology license offices. Royalty incentives work both by raising faculty effort and sorting scientists across universities. The effect of incentives works primarily by increasing the quality (value) rather than the quantity of inventions.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 3916.

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Date of creation: May 2003
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3916

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Related research
Keywords: academic research; incentives; intellectual property; licensing; royalties; technology transfer;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
L30 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - General
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
O34 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Intellectual Property Rights

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  15. Richard Jensen & Marie Thursby, 2001. "Proofs and Prototypes for Sale: The Licensing of University Inventions," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 240-259, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Albert Banal-Estañol & Inés Macho-Stadler, 2008. "Commercial Incentives in Academia," City University Economics Discussion Papers 08/13, Department of Economics, City University, London. [Downloadable!]
  2. Albert Banal-Estañol & Inés Macho-Stadler, 2007. "Financial Incentives in Academia: Research versus Development," UFAE and IAE Working Papers 693.07, Unitat de Fonaments de l'Anàlisi Econòmica (UAB) and Institut d'Anàlisi Econòmica (CSIC). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Jerry G. Thursby & Marie C. Thursby, 2003. "Are Faculty Critical? Their Role in University-Industry Licensing," Emory Economics 0320, Department of Economics, Emory University (Atlanta). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Belenzon, Sharon & Schankerman, Mark, 2007. "Harnessing Success: Determinants of University Technology Licensing Performance," CEPR Discussion Papers 6120, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  5. Lacetera, Nicola & Macis, Mario, 2008. "Motivating Altruism: A Field Study," IZA Discussion Papers 3770, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  6. Philippe Aghion & Mathias Dewatripont & Jeremy C. Stein, 2005. "Academic Freedom, Private-Sector Focus, and the Process of Innovation," NBER Working Papers 11542, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Thorn, Kristian & Soo, Maarja, 2006. "Latin American universities and the third mission : trends, challenges, and policy options," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4002, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  8. Annamaria Conti & Patrick Gaulé & Dominique Foray, 2007. "Academic licensing: a European study," CEMI Working Papers cemi-workingpaper-2007-00, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Collège du Management de la Technologie, Management of Technology and Entrepreneurship Institute, Chaire en Economie et Management de l'Innovation. [Downloadable!]
  9. Lee Branstetter & Yoshiaki Ogura, 2005. "Is Academic Science Driving a Surge in Industrial Innovation? Evidence from Patent Citations," NBER Working Papers 11561, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Nicola Lacetera, 2003. "Incentives and spillovers in R&D activities: an agency-theoretic analysis of industry-university relations," Microeconomics 0312004, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  11. Emmanuel Dechenaux & Jerry Thursby & Marie C. Thursby, 2008. "Inventor Moral Hazard in University Licensing: The Role of Contracts," NBER Working Papers 14226, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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