The rapidly changing world market conditions, coupled with competition between companies, the world market paradigm has shifted from a resource based physical production orientation to a technology and knowledge-based knowledge oriented market. Leadin...
The rapidly changing world market conditions, coupled with competition between companies, the world market paradigm has shifted from a resource based physical production orientation to a technology and knowledge-based knowledge oriented market. Leading companies around the world are meeting changes in the economic paradigm through growing interest in the R&D of intangible assets, and the importance of capacity building through intellectual property assets is emerging.
The current government, in accordance with this trend recognizes the importance of intellectual property. Out of the 140 national issues, it is in the process of establishing policies that will create, develop, and utilize intellectual property. Moreover, as the core competency of creative economy, it focuses on the creation of intellectual property.
Despite this reality, domestic IPR through R&D has increased number, but the percentage of successful commercialization is very low. In order to solve this problem, the government is paying close attention to support programs and policies and focusing on the strengthening of businesses and commercialization of IPR. It has gone through four stages of action plans to technology transfer and is currently in the process of another project to facilitate technology transfer.
However, in Korea, the proportion of SMEs, especially small businesses and micro-enterprises supersede any other forms of businesses, and these businesses lack the sufficient understanding of commercialization and the environment necessary for such transaction to take place. Hence, a more acute analysis and support is needed.
Previous literature derives managerial performance through the study of organizational structure, marketing, human resources, and strategy or measuring the managerial success by analyzing commercialization, R&D. Contrarily, this paper found out the relationship between IPR and managerial performance by using the IPR which is the end product of R&D, product development capacity, which is equivalent to commercialization, production capacity, and marketing capacity such as technology commercialization capacity. Previous commercialization studies that have measured the performance of managerial success has used non-financial elements, however, this paper has used both financial and non-financial elements to determine the performance of managerial success. Hence, the results would prove to be more concrete and realistic and provide more help to understand the commercialization of IPRs.
This study uses previous literature and related studies to define IPR, technology commercialization capacity, and managerial performance. We have used these definitions as the foundation to carry out the research model, and for a more specific and empirical data, we have selected to SMEs that have IPRs as targets of our offline and online surveys. Out of this sample we have selected 242 specimens for a careful analysis.
IPRs have been measured centered around patents, utility models, design rights, and trademarks. Managerial performance has been measured according to product competitiveness, customer satisfaction, growth, and profitability. The paradigm has been measured according to the ability to commercialize, marketability, and the ability to manufacture the goods. IPRs, in general, have a positive effect on the commercialization of technology and proved to have a higher correlation with the ability to develop the product, and have a positive effect on both technology commercialization and managerial performance. However, the ability to develop into product did not have any effect on managerial performance. Marketing ability and the ability to manufacture did have some effect on managerial performance.
IPRs have a positive effect on all managerial performance, especially it has a significant effect on the product competitiveness. For the relationship between IPRs and managerial performance, we have measured the mediating effects of the ability to commercialize a technology. We found that the ability to manufacture has a full mediating effect. This means that the relationship between IPR and the ability to manufacture allows the transformation of research value into market value and in turn relates with managerial performance aiding business performance capabilities. Marketing ability has also been a mediator. Technology transfer or marketing ability acts as a mediator between IPR and managerial performance thereby contributing to the capacity.
The empirical analysis of this paper shows that IPR is the most necessary for the ability to produce, and after its production it helps the company’s performance. This marks that IPR is only a right and the change into market value is important.
Based on the results of this paper, if I were to propose a method to commercialize IPR, IPR and new products have a direct relationship and via correct use it can increase the revenue of a company. New products are the core capacity of companies, and it the end result of market value.
It is important to increase IPRs, the end result of R&D, but the ability to utilize this is important. The ability to manufacture, the ability to mass produce, and the marketing ability highlighted by this paper will be the core ability to utilize it. The human resources to utilize it will also be important. Especially for companies, the ability to manufacture, which transforms IPR into market value is important, and moreover they may focus their attention on capacity building that relates to marketing ability and the ability to mass produce.
In Korea, the ability to commercialize a product is not deemed important. The reason is that most companies are SMEs that lack expertise and business models.
Hence, support from the government is urgent, a Korean commercialization model is needed, a social infrastructure and development of human resources is needed, and lastly, an in-depth study is needed.
In particular, in addition to a paradigm shift in industry and technology, intangible assets such as technology, knowledge, and brand are becoming ever more important. Hence, a study on the creation, protection, and utilization of IP must be made, as well as a study on environmental factors of commercialization models. Moreover, a study on the IPR value added service and its relationship to market dominance must be made.
Such studies that provide empirical data on the development of new technologies and maintenance of IPR is necessary.