The supply side of IP management: Understanding firms' choices regarding IP intermediaries

Studies focusing on the supply side of IP management, particularly on the outsourcing of patent related work, are relatively rare. This paper aims to contribute to the IP literature in two ways. First, a definition of the IP service provider is proposed. Second, I consider three main hypotheses that determine a firm's preference for outsourced IP work. Using data on the outsourcing of patent renewal payments, I found evidence that the choice of IP supplier is affected by: (1) the firm's own IP maintenance capabilities, (2) the firm's IP knowledge utilization, and (3) the IP complexity.