The Relationship between Patent Strategy and Firm Performance: An Empirical Study of Taiwanese High-Tech Companies

本研究以 2013 年美國專利研究機構 IFI Claims 所公佈之美國專利申請量前 1000 名單中的台灣上市櫃企業為研究對象,共 39 家公司做為研究目標,藉由量 化分析與專家訪談,探討其專利取得(patent acquisition)、專利保護(patent protection)、專利商業化(patent commercialization)等三類型專利策略,對其營運 績效有何影響。 本研究主要發現如下: 1. 在專利取得方面,台灣廠商的專利數數量越多,並不會對於營運績效有正面 的影響。其源自於企業經營階層對於專利的認知不甚完善、台灣高科技產業 所面對的獨特產業競爭環境,以及專利品質與價值不佳所導致。 2. 在專利保護行為對台灣高科技廠商營運績效的影響方面,專利保護行為不會 對台灣高科技廠商的營運帶來正面的影響。其原因在於兩個因素-企業家對 於訴訟等保護行為的心態不夠成熟,以及專利保護行為本身具備的大量資本 支出。 3. 專利商業化的部分,本研究發現專利授權等專利商業化行為,對於台灣高科 技業廠商來說,確實對營運績效帶來顯著的正向影響,如能多加運用專利商 業化之策略,可以對企業營運帶來更多正向的幫助。 4. 台灣高科技產業如要在專利策略上有所突破,改變營運階層對於專利策略的 認知、改善專利相關人員的從業環境,與提升前瞻性研發的比率,皆是可行 的努力方向。This study provides an empirical study about the relationship between patent strategy and firm performance. The research sample includes 39 Taiwanese high-tech firms in the list of top 1000 US patent assignee 2013.This study uses quantitative analysis and industry expert interviews to find the effects on firm performance from three kinds of patent strategy: patent acquisition, patent protection and patent commercialization. The following are the main findings emerging from the analysis and interviews: 1. More patent applications do not have positive impact on firm performance. It is because that the managements in Taiwanese high-tech firms do not have enough knowledge of the patent strategy and the quality of patents in Taiwanese high-tech firms are not good enough. And also because the unique industry environment of Taiwanese high-tech firms are facing . 2. Patent protection behaviors do not benefit to firm performance in Taiwanese high-tech firms . It is because the huge amount of capital expenditure of these behaviors and the immature mindset of the managements. 3. Patent commercialization behaviors do bring benefit significantly to firm performance in Taiwanese high-tech firms. If firms can do more patent commercialization behaviors, they can bring positive impact to firms. 4. If Taiwanese high-tech firms want to make a breakthrough in patent strategy, they can start from changing the mindset of the managements , improving the working environment of patent engineers and doing more proactive R&D