Information Technology and Trademarks: Implications for Product Variety

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gao, Guodong (Gordon); Hitt, Lorin M.
• 署名单位: University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park; University of Pennsylvania
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.1110.1480
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 1211-1226
• 关键词: business value of IT; trademark; Competitive advantage; product variety

摘要

This paper examines the relationship between information technology (IT) and trademarks. Using an 11-year panel data set (1987-1997) of IT capital Stock, trademark holdings, and other measures for 116 Fortune 1000 manufacturing firms, we find that IT contributes to higher trademark holdings. Further, we find evidence suggesting that firms with more IT capital tend to apply for more new trademarks and retire existing trademarks more quickly, leading to a shorter trademark life cycle. Because trademarks are mainly used by firms to communicate differences among similar products to the marketplace, these results suggest that the business value of IT can be realized in greater product variety.