A Study on effects of Exploration and Exploitation on Patent Activities and Innovation

Background/Objectives: This study identified the relationship between exploration and exploitation activities and patent activities and the relationship between such activities and innovation performance so as to present some reference data conducive to viable patent strategies. Methods/Statistical analysis: The present study used the PLS (Partial Least Square) method. The sample consisted of current or former R&D staff at small-and-medium-sized manufacturers in Korea. Hence, the constructs and question items used in the research model met the requirements for internal consistency, convergent validity and discriminant validity, and proved fit for the structural model analysis. Current or former R&D staff at Korean companies participated in the online questionnaire survey from August 20 to September 20, 2016. Excluding incomplete response sheets, a total of 142 copies were analyzed. Prior to the survey, the author conducted a preliminary survey from August 1, 2016. Findings: As a result of this study, first, this study divided R&D activities into explorative and exploitative activities and analyzed their causal effects on patent activities, i.e. patent management, patent development support and patent rights enforcement activities. Second, the present study reflected the trends in R&D, innovation and patents, presented three types of patent activities, i.e. patent management, patent development support and patent rights enforcement activities, and operationalized relevant constructs. Third, this study empirically analyzed the sub-classified patent activities using the data collected from R&D staff working at Korean companies. Improvements/Applications: This study focused on measuring the patent activities, i.e. patent management, patent development support and patent rights enforcement activities, from the perspective of corporate R&D staff.