Professor Kelvin W. Willoughby
December 16, 2013
13:00 – 14:30
Beijing -1 Auditorium, China cluster Skolkovo School of Management
Prowess in the strategic management of intellectual property, especially internationally, has become a source of competitive advantage for both entrepreneurial firms and established corporations in technology intensive industries. The management of intellectual property is also a core business function for many technology firms. It is also important for R&D intensive organizations such as universities and government research laboratories or specialized organizations involved in technology transfer. In this seminar Professor Willoughby will outline a future research agenda in the field of intellectual property management and make some suggestions as to how such research might also contribute to Skoltech’s mission related to education, innovation and entrepreneurship in science and technology.
One issue that deserves special attention is the question of what strategies may be followed by small Entrepreneurial technology firms to succeed in appropriating value from their technology and enforcing their IP rights against infringement from better funded, more experienced technology enterprises. The challenges faced by technology entrepreneurs in addressing this issue, especially at the start-up stage, can be extraordinary when the competition is international and when the problems straddle the boundaries of multiple national legal systems. A related issue is the role of professional IP Intermediaries in assisting small enterprises to overcome such challenges. Despite the invaluable service that they may provide to entrepreneurs, IP Intermediaries are sometimes also portrayed as the enemies of innovation, and are coming under attack as “non-racticing entity” litigation villains.
The scope for technological entrepreneurship in the exploration and exploitation of oil, gas and minerals Is also a prime research topic. It presents challenging IP strategy issues relevant to Russia and other countries.
SPEAKER INTRODUCTION:
Dr. Kelvin Willoughby is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University. His expertise lies in the management of intellectual property, technology-based entrepreneurship, and strategic planning for technology-based industry development. He holds doctorates in both strategic management and technology studies, and a masters degree in intellectual property law.
In addition to his research Willoughby has extensive international experience as an educator, university administrator and director of MBA programs and executive management programs. He was elected Vice President for Technology Entrepreneurship of the US Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Besides his academic experience, Professor Willoughby has been internationally active for many years as a consultant and advisor in industry and government. He was a founding team member of an entrepreneurial digital media management company in the United States and has worked on a project with firms in the electronic, metals and automotive sectors in Germany. He has led a training project on technology transfer for the federal laboratories of the United States Government, and has worked with a leading management consulting company in Europe. He has conducted a number of projects for technology industry associations in the United States, has developed a reputation as an analyst of the biotechnology and medical technology industries, and has co-chaired a statewide assessment and planning project on bio-related industries in Minnesota for a coalition of private-sector and public-sector high technology organizations (the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota).
Professor Willoughby has held a number of prestigious positions at a variety of universities and research institutes in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia.
