This dissertation presents three studies to enhance theoretical and practical knowledge at the intersection of the fields of visible product design, inter-firm competition, and intellectual property protection. The first study is conceptual, offering a holistic theory of design-based competition; the second explores firms’ use of registered design rights, while the third study examines the influence of the national context – of institutions, policies, cultures, and norms – on firms’ propensity to protect their intellectual assets by means of legal exclusion rights.
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This dissertation presents three studies to enhance theoretical and practical knowledge at the intersection of the fields of visible product design, inter-firm competition, and intellectual property protection. The first study is conceptual, offering a holistic theory of design-based competition; the second explores firms’ use of registered design rights, while the third study examines the influence of the national context – of institutions, policies, cultures, and norms – on firms’ propensity...
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