Technology Market Transactions Auctions, Intermediaries and Innovation

‘This study of technology auctions is long overdue. The book provides a better understanding of intermediaries, and their role and impact in markets for technology. Both scholars and managers will find it insightful.’
– Alfonso Gambardella, Bocconi University, Italy

‘From this book, managers, academics and innovation policy makers will all benefit from new insights into the complex relationships between external technology exploitation strategies, patents, technology trade and open innovation processes. The convincing evidence – drawn from a dataset of technology auctions – helps firms to understand which of their patents are suitable for auction, and also provides guidance to intermediaries to help improve the auction models. The data presented in this book contributes to further price transparency on technology markets and hence to their further development.’
– Hugo Tschirky, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Within the open innovation paradigm, firms need to operate efficiently in markets for technology. This book presents original research on technology transactions, market intermediaries and, specifically, the role of auctions as a novel transaction model for patented technologies. 

Frank Tietze delivers an in-depth discussion of the impact of empirical results upon transaction cost theory, and in so doing, provides the means for better understanding technology transaction processes in general, and auctions in particular. Substantiating transaction cost theory with empirical auction data, the author goes on to explore how governance structures need to be designed for effective distributed innovation processes. He concludes that the auction mechanism is a viable transaction model, and illustrates that the auction design, as currently operated by market intermediaries, requires thorough adjustments. Various options for possible improvements are subsequently prescribed. 

The theoretical facets of this book will strongly appeal to business economists, whilst its practical implications will provide an illuminating read for both academics and practitioners in the fields of innovation and intellectual property. Revealing empirically substantiated technology prices, this book will also prove to be of great interest to policy makers for further developing the markets for technology.