Schilling (2010)

21 important questions on Schilling (2010)

How is appropriabilty determined?

By how easily or quickly competitors can imitate the innovation

How easily or quickly competitors can imitate the innovation is a function of

  • The nature of the technology itself
  • The strength of the mechanisms used to protect the innovatoin

What is meant with the nature of the technology?

If the knowledge is tacit/socially complex, it is harder for competitors to imitate
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Where is the nature of the technology also dependent on?

On unique prior experience and the talent pool

How are the outcomes of interactions?

Path dependent and indiosyncratic

What are the legal mechanisms?

Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secret laws

Which three tests must an invention pass to be patentable?

  1. It must be useful
  2. It must be novel
  3. It must not be obvious

What is a trademark?

A word, phrase, symbol, design or other indicator that is used to distinguish the source of goods from one party from the goods of others

Do trademarks require registration?

No but it does provide several advantages

When is information regarded to be a trade secret?

Only if it
  1. Offers a distinctive advantage to the company in the form of economic rents
  2. Remains valuable as long as the information remains private

Which three criteria must the information meet?

  1. The information must not generally be known or readily ascertainable through legitimate means
  2. The information must have economic importance that is contingent upon its secrecy
  3. The trade secret holder must exercise reasonable measures to protect the secrecy of the information.

What are wholly proprietary systems?

Based on technology that is company owned and protected through mechanisms. The products are often not compatible with those offered by other manufacturers

What are wholly open systems?

The technology used in a product or process is not protected by secrecy or patents; it may be based on available standards or it may be new technology taht is openly diffused to other producers

What are the advantages of protection?

  • Proprietary systems offer greater rent appropriability, developers often have more money and incentive to invest in technological development, promotion and distribution
  • A penetration pricing strategy can be adopted to build its installed base
  • A firm may be willing to lose money in the short term to secure the technology’s position as the standard, because once the technology has emerged as a standard, the payoff can be substantial and enduring.
  • Gives the firm architectural control over the technology.

Where does architectural control refer to?

To the firm’s ability to determine the structure and operation of the technology and its compatibility with other goods and services.

When can architectural control be very valuable?

Especially for technologies in which compatibility with other goods and services is important

Why should the firm consider production capabilities, marketing capabilities and capital in deciding whether and to what degree it should protect is innovation?

If the firm is unable to produce the technology at sufficient volume or quality, then protecting the technology may significantly hinder its adoption. If complementary goods influence the value of the technology to users, the firm must be able to produce the complements in sufficient range and quantity, sponsor their production by other firms or encourage collective production of the complements through a more open technology strategy.

Why should the firm consider industry opposition against sole-source technology in deciding whether and to what degree it should protect is innovation?

The degree of industry opposition to a sole-source technology needs to be considered when the firm formulates its technology strategy. If the industry is able to pose significant opposition, the firm may need to consider a more open technology strategy to improve the technology’s likelihood of being chosen as a dominant design.

Why should the firm consider resources for internal development in deciding whether and to what degree it should protect is innovation?

If a firm does not have significant resources to invest in the technology’s functionality, it may have difficulty producing a technology that has an initial performance level. It can be valuable then to tap to the external development efforts of other firms through utilizing a more open technology strategy.

Why should the firm consider control over fragmentation in deciding whether and to what degree it should protect is innovation?

For technologies, in which standardization and compatibility are important, maintaining the integrity of the core product is absolutely essential and external development can put it at risk.

Why should the firm consider incentives for architectural control in deciding whether and to what degree it should protect is innovation?

Architectural control is valuable, but it becomes particularly valuable if a firm is a significant producer of complements to the technology in question. It can enable the firm to direct the development efforts put into the technology so that it exploits the firm’s core competencies.

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