Innovation and SMEs patent propensity in Korea

• In general, all inventions are patented. However, there are numerous innovative activities that do not come under the coverage of patent protection even though patenting an innovation in different contexts remains vital. This paper analyses patent propensity as an outcome of innovative activities of regional SMEs. To achieve this, it does a robust regression analysis to estimate models to test five research hypotheses related to patent propensity using 263 firms participating in collaborative R&D with universities located in the Gwangju region in Korea. The empirical results show that a CEO's academic qualifications are positively related to propensity to patent. The findings also show that a CEO's intention to pursue new knowledge through open innovations is more relevant for patent propensity than public incentive policy instruments for making SMEs innovative by adapting innovation manuals, including the number of patents.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Nationalekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Economics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Patent propensity; Photonic Industry; SMEs growth; R&D; innovation; InnoBiz; Korea

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)