FIRM MANAGEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC-INFORMATION - SOME PREDICTORS AND IMPLICATIONS OF OPENNESS VERSUS SECRECY

This paper presents a model that seeks to understand and explain R&D p erformance differences in research-intensive companies. The primary th eoretical model builds on the well-established theory of science as a public good but augments it with a game-theoretic argument for individ ual firm choices of scientific information openness or secrecy. The fi rst research question we address is how a firm's scientific informatio n openness, as measured by its research publications, impacts the firm 's stock of technical knowledge. Additionally, we explore two predicto r variables of scientific information openness: research lab and top m anagement team demographics. The possible economic effects and other m anagerial implications of this model are also discussed.