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Innovation and Intellectual Property Management (IIPM) Laboratory

In this paper, we propose a responsible intellectual property (IP) strategy (R-IPS) framework based on five exploratory case studies of sustainable companies in energy, nutrition, consumer electronics, manufacturing and water treatment sectors. These companies responsibly use IP assets to create positive social and environmental impact (or reduce negative impact), and unlock new opportunities for financial (economic) gains. The extent to which firms today use IP rights such as patents and trademarks, and IP more broadly (including informal intellectual assets such as data and trade secrets, and contracts) as a strategic tool to facilitate sustainability remains to be understood better. More specifically, we need understanding of how companies could, or even should manage and use their IP more responsibly in these changing times during which transitions towards sustainable development are so thoroughly and urgently needed. The proposed framework defined using five dimensions namely deliberation/intention, sustainability IP alignment, flexibility and timing, inclusiveness, and co-creation can support managerial decision-making in formulating or re-designing IP strategies to increase organization’s social and environmental impact, maximising their contributions (e.g. accelerating transitions) towards building sustainable economies.

The full paper is available here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S017221902300025X

Latest news

New paper published on responsible IP strategies

17 April 2023

In this paper, we propose a responsible intellectual property (IP) strategy (R-IPS) framework based on five exploratory case studies of sustainable companies in energy, nutrition, consumer electronics, manufacturing and water treatment sectors. These companies responsibly use IP assets to create positive social and...

British Council-funded project ‘Intellectual Property for Sustainability’ completed

14 March 2023

The Innovation and Intellectual Property Management (IIPM) lab together with partners from the IfM Engage (UK), Oxford Brookes University (UK), Indian Institute of Science (India) and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) (India) recently completed the British Council-funded Going Global India-UK Partnership...