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Opening Up Intellectual Property Strategy: Implications for Open Source Software Entry by Start-up Firms

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  • Wen Wen

    (McCombs School of Business, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712)

  • Marco Ceccagnoli

    (Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30308)

  • Chris Forman

    (Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30308)

Abstract

We examine whether a firm’s intellectual property (IP) strategy in support of the open source software (OSS) community stimulates new OSS product entry by start-up software firms. In particular, we analyze the impact of strategic decisions taken by IBM around the mid-2000s, such as its announcement that it will not assert its patents against the OSS community and its creation of a patent commons. These decisions formed a coherent IP strategy in support of OSS. We find that IBM’s actions stimulated new OSS product introductions by entrepreneurial firms and that their impact is increasing in the cumulativeness of innovation in the market and the extent to which patent ownership in the market is concentrated.Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2247 . This paper was accepted by Lee Fleming, entrepreneurship and innovation .

Suggested Citation

  • Wen Wen & Marco Ceccagnoli & Chris Forman, 2016. "Opening Up Intellectual Property Strategy: Implications for Open Source Software Entry by Start-up Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(9), pages 2668-2691, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:62:y:2016:i:9:p:2668-2691
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2015.2247
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    Cited by:

    1. Becker, Markus C. & Rullani, Francesco & Zirpoli, Francesco, 2021. "The role of digital artefacts in early stages of distributed innovation processes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(10).
    2. Grimaldi, Michele & Greco, Marco & Cricelli, Livio, 2021. "A framework of intellectual property protection strategies and open innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 156-164.
    3. Christian Peukert & Margaritha Windisch, 2023. "The Economics of Copyright in the Digital Age," CESifo Working Paper Series 10687, CESifo.
    4. Benjamin Barber & Luis Diestre, 2022. "Can firms avoid tough patent examiners through examiner‐shopping? Strategic timing of citations in USPTO patent applications," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(9), pages 1854-1871, September.
    5. Wright, Nataliya Langburd & Nagle, Frank & Greenstein, Shane, 2023. "Open source software and global entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(9).
    6. Nie, Jiajia & Zhong, Ling & Li, Gendao & Cao, Kuo, 2022. "Piracy as an entry deterrence strategy in software market," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 298(2), pages 560-572.
    7. Zha, Yong & Wu, Xiangxiang & Liu, Haonan & Yu, Yugang, 2023. "Impact of a Platform Developer's Entry on the Device Manufacturer with Different Power Structures and Revenue Models," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    8. Karin Beukel & Minyuan Zhao, 2018. "IP litigation is local, but those who litigate are global," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(1), pages 53-70, June.
    9. Yun Hou & I.P.L. Png & Xi Xiong, 2023. "When stronger patent law reduces patenting: Empirical evidence," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(4), pages 977-1012, April.
    10. Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Pia & Yang, Jialei, 2022. "Distinguishing between appropriability and appropriation: A systematic review and a renewed conceptual framing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    11. Terrence August & Hyoduk Shin & Tunay I. Tunca, 2018. "Generating Value Through Open Source: Software Service Market Regulation and Licensing Policy," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(1), pages 186-205, March.
    12. Schäper, Thomas & Jung, Christopher & Foege, Johann Nils & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Fainshmidt, Stav & Nüesch, Stephan, 2023. "The S-shaped relationship between open innovation and financial performance: A longitudinal perspective using a novel text-based measure," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).

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