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Propensity to Patent and Firm Size for Small R&D-Intensive Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Link, Albert

    (University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics)

  • Scott, John

    (Dartmouth College, Department of Economics)

Abstract

The Schumpeterian hypothesis about the effect of firm size on research and development (R&D) output is studied for a sample of R&D projects for R&D-intensive firms that are small but have substantial variance in their sizes. Across the distribution of firm sizes, the elasticity of patenting with respect to R&D ranged from 0.41 to 0.55, with the elasticities being largest for intermediate levels of firm size and also varying directly with the extent to which the projects are Schumpeterian in the cost or value senses. The paper’s findings at the R&D project level are compared with the literature’s findings at the line of business, firm, and industry levels, and the findings are consistent with the literature’s findings for small firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Link, Albert & Scott, John, 2018. "Propensity to Patent and Firm Size for Small R&D-Intensive Firms," UNCG Economics Working Papers 18-1, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:uncgec:2018_001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Albert N. Link & Martijn Hasselt, 2020. "Exploring the impact of R&D on patenting activity in small women-owned and minority-owned entrepreneurial firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1061-1066, April.
    2. Nilsen, Øivind Anti & Raknerud, Arvid, 2022. "Dynamics of First-Time Patenting Firms," IZA Discussion Papers 15529, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Sara Amoroso & Albert N. Link, 2021. "Intellectual property protection mechanisms and the characteristics of founding teams," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(9), pages 7329-7350, September.
    4. Youngbok Ryu & Toshiyuki Sueyoshi, 2021. "Examining the Relationship between the Economic Performance of Technology-Based Small Suppliers and Socially Sustainable Procurement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-23, June.
    5. Cai, Helen (Huifen) & Sarpong, David & Tang, Xiaoyun & Zhao, Guiqin, 2020. "Foreign patents surge and technology spillovers in China (1985–2009): Evidence from the patent and trade markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Zhang, Zhongqingyang & Zhu, Huiming & Zhou, Zhongbao & Zou, Kai, 2022. "How does innovation matter for sustainable performance? Evidence from small and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 251-265.
    7. Goel, Rajeev K. & Nelson, Michael A., 2020. "Do external quality certifications improve firms’ conduct? International evidence from manufacturing and service industries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 97-104.
    8. Hyo Kang & Wyatt Lee, 2022. "How innovating firms manage knowledge leakage: A natural experiment on the threat of worker departure," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(10), pages 1961-1982, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patents; Research and Development (R&D); Firm Size; Schumpeterian hypothesis; Technological Progress; Innovation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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