Shishir K. Jha

Study of the linkages between innovation and intellectual property

The incredibly fast evolving information ecosystem has created porous boundaries across industries and its market, disrupting the traditional models of innovation and questioning the theory of intellectual property (IP) as the method of appropriation. The means of innovation are shifting from independent ownership to collaborative and service based. This paradigm shift in the innovation process has an impact on the three primary firm level processes namely: Strategic Management (SMP), Innovation Management (IMP) and Technology Development (TDP). IP has been considered as the major incentive that enables innovation and existing literature studies the linkage between innovation and IP from an individual perspective — economic, social, development or standards to name a few. Too often the interests of the producer dominate the evolution of an IP policy, and that of the ultimate consumer is neither heard nor heeded. Certain firms have aligned their IP management to the new emerging perspective in one of two ways — individual alignment of their business models [IBM, SUN, P&G, Google] or as a consortium of specific technologies [3GPP, WiMAX patent partnership, Green IP patent partnership]. What variables should the firms IP management system be aware that can help strategise its market position by banking on innovation outputs? We propose a set of variables (nature of the good, essentiality of IP and open innovation) that are useful to identify the role of IP to determine the innovation outputs.

National biosafety system for regulating agricultural biotechnology in India

Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to improve crop productivity, increase farm incomes, and alleviate food security concerns in India. Adoption of such technologies has resulted in the need for establishing biosafety regulatory systems to reduce and eliminate potential risks arising from agribiotechnology on plant, animal and human life, environment and biodiversity. As a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol, India has taken the role of strengthening her biosafety system very seriously. In this paper, we have undertaken a comparative study of the existing national biosafety framework (NBF) in place in India, with the UNEP-GEF Framework implemented across 126 countries. On comparison with the UNEP-GEF Framework, the Indian experience has been admirable, but not without its own challenges. The purpose of this exercise is to identify challenges within the system, in an endeavour to transform the Indian biosafety regulatory system into a predictable, transparent and sustainable system.

Internationalization of Indian Firms: An Exploratory Study of Two Firms from the Tyre Industry

ABSTRACT The sustained internationalization of firms of Indian origin has held the attention of academicians and practitioners alike. India’s place in the global tyres industry is far from being a prominent one. Yet, two Indian firms have chosen radically different paths to internationalize, as per the typology proposed in the article. This article takes a case study methodology approach that brings to light the antecedents, motives, and behaviors of these two firms in their internationalization journey thus far. Findings also indicate firms initially build a strong market position via delivery capabilities, and thereafter turn to brand building, followed by the quest for input capabilities.

Patent landscape analysis for crop biotechnology in India

Agricultural biotechnology and its impact on Indian agriculture have extensively been scrutinised from the perspective of agrarian studies, economics, strategic management, as well as policy literature. However, there is a dearth of analysis from the perspective of intellectual property and technology management literature. These analyses become especially vital given the strengthening IP regime and emerging technology trends in crop biotechnology in India. In the present study, we have made an attempt to contribute to literature in this direction. We rely on patent landscape analysis as a tool to provide insights into technology trends, identify areas of research considered to be of commercial value, active players among public and private sector organisations, as well as potential implications for Indian seed industry. The interested reader must be aware of such progressions, which influence Indian agriculture, its stakeholders, and perhaps food security as well.