The Impact of Intellectual Properties on Foreign Direct Investment

지적재산권이 해외직접투자에 미치는 영향

Foreign direct investment is the means for companies to enter the overseas market and strengthen their competitiveness. The holding of intellectual properties, representing advantages of firms, may affect foreign direct investment. By expanding previous studies, we define intellectual properties as including trademarks and design as well as patents. Using a random-effect panel data model, we examine the effects of both intellectual properties of Korea and host countries on Korea's foreign direct investment in 128 countries from 1981 to 2014. The results are as follow. First, the coefficients of Korea's intellectual properties, patent, trademark, and design are significantly positive. This implies that Korean firms may invest abroad to take their advantages of technologies, brand value, and the capability of product differentiation. Second, except for patents, intellectual properties of host countries have a positive impact on foreign direct investment. In other words, foreign direct investment to acquire the ability of branding or product design from host countries may occur. Third, the coefficients of Korea's intellectual properties are significantly greater than those of host countries' properties. Foreign direct investment to take advantages of the firms' capabilities overseas is greater than one to acquire knowledge of host countries. Finally, Korea's intellectual properties have a greater positive impact on foreign direct investment in high growth countries than in low growth countries. It is interpreted that Korean firms are more motivated to exploit their intellectual properties in developing countries with a high growth than developed countries. Overall, it is confirmed that Korea's foreign direct investment not only to utilize some advantages but also to seek the brand value or product differentiation ability from host countries can occur. Our findings provide the contribution that some innovative activities in firms and R&D investments policies which encourage the possession of intellectual properties can improve foreign direct investment.

본 연구는 1981년부터 2014년까지 128개 국가를 대상으로 한국과 투자대상국의 지적재산권이 한국의 해외직접투자에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 첫째, 한국의 지적재산권과 이의 종류인 특허권과 상표권, 의장권 모두 해외직접투자에 긍정적 영향을 미쳤다. 둘째, 투자대상국의 지적재산권은 특허권을 제외하고 해외직접투자에 긍정적 영향을 미쳤다. 셋째, 지적재산권을 투자대상국에서 활용하기 위한 해외직접투자가 투자대상국의 지식을 습득하기 위한 해외직접투자보다 더 유의하였다. 넷째, 주로 개도국인 고성장 국가에 대해서는 한국의 지적재산권이, 주로 선진국인 저성장 국가에 대해서는 투자대상국의 지적재산권이 더 큰 영향을 미쳤다.