What motivates the engineers to patent? A study at the Chinese R&D laboratories of a European MNC

Anna Potekhina and Knut Blind ()
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Anna Potekhina: Robert Bosch GmbH
Knut Blind: Technische Universität Berlin

The Journal of Technology Transfer, 2020, vol. 45, issue 2, No 5, 480 pages

Abstract: Abstract Corporate R&D engineers, being usually the initiators of a patent, are important contributors to the patenting performance of their employers. Hence, patenting motives of R&D engineers encompass an interesting and promising research field. However, the literature on patenting motivation of the engineers in the corporate context is scarce. We apply self-determination theory on human motivation to investigate patenting motives of a sample of local R&D engineers in China employed by a European-based multi-national corporation. Factor analysis reveals four groups of motives: “reward and recognition”, “reputation and promotion”, “making a contribution” and “interest and sense of achievement”. The results of multiple hierarchical regression show the influence of working climate on “making a contribution” and “interest and sense of achievement” motivation factors. Implications for patent management are discussed.

Keywords: Patenting motivation; R&D management; Self-determination theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O31 O32 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10961-018-9707-z

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