企業による有資格者の内部資源化と組織成果

－企業内弁理士のパフォーマンス分析－

抄録

In this study, the impact of having in-house patent attorneys on organizational outcomes was examined by using patent data on a battery of Japanese companies. Since the “internalization of qualified patent attorneys” is occurring due to the policy context, companies' impact is examined using the case of in-house patent attorneys. In-house patent attorneys can serve as a hub of knowledge, facilitating the combination of expertise in a company and further embodying the combined knowledge in the form of patent rights. Concerning patent applications filed by in-house patent attorneys, I hypothesized that an increase in in-house representation would increase the number of patent applications filed. This study tested the hypothesis that an increase in in-house patent attorneys’ representation of patent applications would increase the number of patent applications filed by companies. As a result, this hypothesis was not proven. In-house patent attorneys in an organization may contribute by their abilities other than patent applications, such as promoting knowledge combination.