By exploring the patterns of engagement in several intellectual property (IP) marketplaces on the part of a sample of software firms based in the UK, the article attempts to shed light on the strategic reasons which induce firms to participate in different IP marketplaces and governance structures, often at the same time.  read more »

By exploring the patterns of engagement in several intellectual property (IP) marketplaces on the part of a sample of pharmaceutical firms based in Germany, the article attempts to shed light on the strategic reasons which induce firms to participate in different IP marketplaces and governance structures, often at the same time.  read more »

This paper addresses the question of the software companies’ timing of adoption of the open source software (OSS) business models comprising the supply of OSS products and/or services. The game-theoretic technology adoption models do not explain well the observed diffusion patterns of the OSS business model among the sample of 716 European software firms.  read more »

This paper explores the process of collaboration in virtual environments. Virtual collaboration relies heavily on electronic media and precludes the benefits of face-toface contact; yet it offers immense opportunities. The aim of this paper is to provide new perspectives on current research and highlight the key issues that require further investigation.  read more »

This paper proposes a unified conceptual framework to analyse the multiple role and consequences of patents in the case of biotechnology research tools. We argue that the knowledge/information and independent/complementary nature of research tools define heterogeneous frameworks in which the patent system plays different roles.  read more »

Our study inquires whether the performance of software companies that have adopted a business model based on the supply of OSS significantly differs from the performance of firms that provide only proprietary software applications.  read more »