Trade secret protection and R&D investment of family firms

Arbeitspapier

Family firms are known for their reluctance to invest in research and development. We show that strengthened trade secret protection is associated with higher R&D investment by family firms. More specifically, we show that the association between the strength of trade secret protection through the U.S. Uniform Trade Secrets Act and R&D investment is positively moderated by family control. Our results further show that the positive moderation of family control on the association between the strength of trade secret protection and R&D investment varies with the industry context, being stronger in high tech industries and weaker in discrete product industries.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: ZEW Discussion Papers ; No. 22-039

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital ; Management of Technological Innovation and R&D ; Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill ; Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
• Subject: Family firms ; intellectual property protection ; trade secret protection ; UTSA ; R&Dinvestment ; socioemotional wealth

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Hussingera, Katrin ; Issahd, Wunnam
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): ZEW - Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung
• (where): Mannheim
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/265412
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET