Work

Management of Knowledge Workers

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: We study how firm-specific complementary assets and intellectual property rights affect the management of knowledge workers. The main results show when a firm will wish to sue workers that leave with innovative ideas, and the effects of complementary assets on wages and on worker initiative. We argue that firms protected weakly by complementary assets must sue leaving workers in order to obtain positive profits. Moreover, firms with more complementary assets pay higher wages and have lower turnover, but the higher pay has a detrimental effect on worker initiative. Finally, our analysis suggests that strengthening firms' property rights protection reduces turnover costs but weakens worker initiative.

Source: The Journal of Law and Economics

DOI: 10.1086/666587

Authors: Hans K. Hvide, Eirik Gaard Kristiansen

Institutions: IZA - Institute of Labor Economics, University of Bergen, Norwegian School of Economics

Language: English

Topic: Intellectual Property and Patents

Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W3124844875

FWCI: 8.011

Cites: 15

Cited by: 32

Related to: 10