Working Paper: NBER ID: w14797
Authors: Albert Link; Christopher Ruhm
Abstract: This paper focuses on the innovative actions of entrepreneurs, namely their tendency to reveal the intellectual capital that results from their research efforts either in the form of public knowledge (publications) or private knowledge (patents). Using data collected by the National Research Council within the U.S. National Academies from their survey of firm's that received National Institutes of Health Phase II Small Business Innovation Research awards between 1992 and 2001, we find that entrepreneurs with academic backgrounds are more likely to publish their intellectual capital compared to entrepreneurs with business backgrounds, who are more likely to patent their intellectual capital. We also find that when universities are research partners, their presence complements the tendencies of academic entrepreneurs but does not offset those of business entrepreneurs.
Keywords: entrepreneurship; intellectual capital; public knowledge; private knowledge; patenting; publishing
JEL Codes: M14; O31
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| entrepreneur's background (L26) | type of intellectual capital revealed (O34) |
| academic background (A29) | likelihood to publish (C46) |
| business background (M21) | likelihood to patent (O34) |
| presence of university partner (I23) | publishing tendencies of academic entrepreneurs (M13) |
| presence of university partner (I23) | patenting behavior of business entrepreneurs (O31) |
| entrepreneur's background (L26) | firm's innovative outputs (O36) |