Empirical studies of trademark: Measuring Innovation and Effects on Firm Performance

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17168
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Management
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Kenta 神戸大学, 経済学研究科, 准教授 (70507201)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 商標 / イノベーション / 実証研

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study confirmed that trademarks might function as a proxy variable for newly developed products and services. This is true in industries where patents are unlikely to be a proxy variable for innovation. On the other hand, the results of the more detailed analysis also confirmed that trademarks, like other innovation indicators, like patents, are noisy indicators, because trademark applications are heavily influenced by factors such as a firm's business sector, brand strategy, IP strategy (e.g., defensive filing), and IP costs, among other factors.
Although a clear trend in the impact of trademarks on firm outcomes could not be discerned from the cross-industry analysis, it was observed that in industries where brands are particularly important, specifically the food industry, a higher ratio of trademark acquisition to new products corresponds to a higher profit rate.

Free Research Field

経済学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

商標分析の歴史は浅く、データ・ハンドリングの作法も定まっていない。こうした状況において、イノベーション指標としての商標の有用性と留意点を論じたことが、本研究の意義である。商標データを用いることで、特許データでは接近が難しかった非技術的イノベーションの実態解明につながると期待される。また、企業の商標マネジメントへの示唆として、ブランディングが重要な業種においては、ブランドを商標権で保護することが企業成果の向上に繋がる可能性を指摘した。