Determinants, causal connections and outcomes of corporate technology licensing: a systematic review and research agenda

Exchanges in markets for technology (MfT) have grown rapidly in recent years. MfT involve transactions for the use, diffusion and creation of technology. In this article, we conduct a systematic review of the emerging market for technology literature and examine one of its most important aspects, corporate technology licensing. Using thematic analysis, we systematically review 78 papers published in 29 journals over 30 years covering the academic disciplines of technology/knowledge management, strategic management, entrepreneurship, innovation management and industrial economics. Based on this analysis, we present an organizing framework for the most prominent determinants, causal connections and outcomes of technology licensing research to date and identify a research agenda highlighting important avenues for future research in this domain.