Corporate Innovation: The Role of Scientific Discoveries, Taxation, and Antitrust

Corporate research activities have played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of science and technology. Since the emergence of the first corporate research laboratories in the late 19th century to the present era dominated by technological giants, there has been a continuous trajectory of groundbreaking research and development (R&D), relentlessly expanding the frontiers of human knowledge and capability. However, the success of these corporate endeavors is deeply intertwined with and relies on societal institutions. In an effort to bridge the gap between private returns and societal benefits, and to cultivate a fertile ground for innovation, governments have established various supporting frameworks, including intellectual property protection, national science systems, and antitrust regulations. In four chapters, this thesis sheds light on a selection of governmental policies, the resulting opportunities and challenges for corporate innovation, and how firms rise to meet them.

Publications

• Poege, Felix; Harhoff, Dietmar; Gaessler, Fabian; Baruffaldi, Stefano (2019). Science Quality and the Value of Inventions, Science Advances, 5 (12), eaay7323, DOI.
• Baruffaldi, Stefano; Poege, Felix (2020). A Firm Scientific Community: Industry Participation and Knowledge Diffusion, IZA Discussion Paper, No. 13419, Link.
• Baruffaldi, Stefano; Poege, Felix (2022). Like Stars: How Firms Learn at Scientific Conferences, Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition Research Paper, No. 20-10, and Management Science, DOI.
• Lichter, Andreas; Loeffler, Max; Isphording, Ingo E.; Nguyen, Thu-Van; Poege, Felix; Siegloch, Sebastian (2021). Profit Taxation, R&D Spending, and Innovation, ZEW – Centre for European Economic Research Discussion Paper, No. 21-080, Link.
• Poege, Felix (2022). Competition and Innovation: The Breakup of IG Farben, Boston Univ. School of Law Research Paper, No. #22-24, Link.
• Poege, Felix (2021). Corporate Innovation: The Role of Scientific Discoveries, Taxation and Antitrust. Doctoral Thesis, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, DOI.