The Capability of Entrepreneurs To Manage Their Intellectual

Property

The Capability of Entrepreneurs To Manage Their Intellectual

Property

David A. Johnston Schulich School of Business, York University

2IP Osgoode and Hennick Centre for Business and Law 2010 Conference: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization of Intellectual Property

Questions Questions

• What are some key challenges in knowledge management that need to be addressed by entrepreneurs?

• In what ways can IP (or other incentives) be improved to better serve entrepreneurs and innovators?

• What can help to make Canada a preferred jurisdiction for innovation?    

3IP Osgoode and Hennick Centre for Business and Law 2010 Conference: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization of Intellectual Property

Small Firms, Entrepreneurs and InnovationSmall Firms, Entrepreneurs and Innovation

• How do entrepreneurs know they have anything unique?– Absorptive capacity? Narrow and deep.– What is the innovation?

• Components Versus Whole Products • Is it the product or the process that can be protected

• How do they make money in the meantime? – How do I sell part of what I know? Licensing and consulting

• How do they relate to large organizations as customer/ supplier partners in innovation?– Are you an option or the answer? Fit in NPD and IP strategy– Technology competitor or supplier? R&D Outsouricing – How to craft a B2B service level agreement? SaaS and Social

Networks– Is there IP in familiarity? Tacit knowledge in relationships has

value

4IP Osgoode and Hennick Centre for Business and Law 2010 Conference: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization of Intellectual Property

Are Knowledge Management Issues Between Large and Small Firms Cultural ?Are Knowledge Management Issues Between Large and Small Firms Cultural ?

LARGE SMALL

Resources access to capital limited access to capital

Skills functional professionals

entrepreneurial

Attitude to Risk low tolerance high tolerance

Value of Relationships

lower higher

5IP Osgoode and Hennick Centre for Business and Law 2010 Conference: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization of Intellectual Property

LARGE SMALL

Supply Chain Orientation

downstream then upstream

downstream only

Kinds of Relationships

likes dependence seeks independence

Trust institution individual

Governance formal contracts social pressure

Source of Power in Industry

Volume, brand awareness

uniqueness

Are Knowledge Management Issues Between Large and Small Firms Cultural ?Are Knowledge Management Issues Between Large and Small Firms Cultural ?