Protecting innovations from imitation: A general analytical framework and an inventory

摘要

How to protect innovations from being imitated? Although several means of protection have been identified during recent decades, they have not yet been placed in a coherent analytical framework. In pursuit of this objective, a framework is proposed with six general means of defending innovations; and an inventory, made of their concrete uses at the inter- and intraorganizational levels. Afunctional analogy between these means of protection thus comes to light through the various layers of analysis.