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Patents, Imitation and Licensing in an Asymmetric Dynamic R&D Race

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Fershtman, Chaim
Markovich, Sarit

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Abstract

R&D is an inherently dynamic process which involves different intermediate steps that need to be developed before the completion of the final invention. Firms are not necessarily symmetric in their R&D abilities; some may have advantages in early stages of the R&D process while others may have advantages in other stages of the process. The paper uses a simple two-firm asymmetric ability multistage R&D race model to analyse the effect of different types of patent policy regimes and licensing arrangement on the speed of innovation, firm value and consumers' surplus. The paper demonstrates the circumstances under which a weak patent protection regime, which facilitates free imitation of any intermediate technology, may yield a higher overall surplus than a regime that awards patent for the final innovation. This result holds even in cases where the length of the patent is optimally calculated.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 5481.

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Date of creation: Feb 2006
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5481

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Related research
Keywords: licensing; patent protection; R&D race;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure and Pricing - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
O3 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change

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  1. Doraszelski, Ulrich, 2003. " An R&D Race with Knowledge Accumulation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 34(1), pages 20-42, Spring.
  2. Steve A. Lippman & Kevin F. McCardle, 1987. "Dropout Behavior in R&D Races with Learning," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 18(2), pages 287-295, Summer. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Fudenberg, Drew & Gilbert, Richard & Stiglitz, Joseph & Tirole, Jean, 1983. "Preemption, leapfrogging and competition in patent races," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-31, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Harris, Christopher & Vickers, John, 1987. "Racing with Uncertainty," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 54(1), pages 1-21, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. David A. Malueg & Shunichi O. Tsutsui, 1997. "Dynamic R&D Competition with Learning," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 28(4), pages 751-772, Winter. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. James Bessen & Eric Maskin, 2006. "Sequential Innovation, Patents, and Imitation," Economics Working Papers 0025, Institute for Advanced Study, School of Social Science. [Downloadable!]
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  7. Paul Klemperer, 1990. "How Broad Should the Scope of Patent Protection Be?," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 21(1), pages 113-130, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Reinganum, Jennifer F., 1989. "The timing of innovation: Research, development, and diffusion," Handbook of Industrial Organization, in: R. Schmalensee & R. Willig (ed.), Handbook of Industrial Organization, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 14, pages 849-908 Elsevier. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Reinganum, Jennifer F., . "A Dynamic Game of R & D: Patent Protection and Competitive Behavior," Working Papers 289, California Institute of Technology, Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences. [Downloadable!]
  10. Nancy T. Gallini, 2002. "The Economics of Patents: Lessons from Recent U.S. Patent Reform," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(2), pages 131-154, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Kenneth Judd & Karl Schmedders, 2002. "Optimal Rules for Patent Races," Discussion Papers 1343, Northwestern University, Center for Mathematical Studies in Economics and Management Science. [Downloadable!]
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  12. Reinganum, Jennifer F., 1981. "Dynamic games of innovation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 21-41, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  13. Denicolo, Vincenzo, 1999. "The optimal life of a patent when the timing of innovation is stochastic," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 827-846, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Richard Gilbert & Carl Shapiro, 1990. "Optimal Patent Length and Breadth," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 21(1), pages 106-112, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  15. Ariel Pakes & Paul McGuire, 1994. "Computing Markov-Perfect Nash Equilibria: Numerical Implications of a Dynamic Differentiated Product Model," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 25(4), pages 555-589, Winter. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  16. Robert M. Hunt, 2004. "Patentability, Industry Structure, and Innovation," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 52(3), pages 401-425, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  17. Ted O'Donoghue, 1998. "A Patentability Requirement for Sequential Innovation," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 29(4), pages 654-679, Winter. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  18. Maskin, Eric & Tirole, Jean, 2001. "Markov Perfect Equilibrium: I. Observable Actions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 191-219, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  19. Harris, Christopher & Vickers, John, 1985. "Perfect Equilibrium in a Model of a Race," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 52(2), pages 193-209, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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