A patent-based model of entrepreneurship education in Brazil

Abstract

Purpose

This article is aimed at improving understanding of the possibilities and implications of using patents as a teaching instrument for universities in developing countries in order to enable undergraduate business students to discuss critical issues associated with the commercialization of technological innovations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an explorative case of an experiential teaching exercise involving undergraduate students addressing the development of business plans addressing the commercialization of patents. In this way, we proposed the POSTE model to provide a pathway to knowledge creation by integrating entrepreneurial competences of entrepreneurship competences with existing practices.

Findings

Given the complex nature of the patenting process, the experiential exercise proposed by this study contributes to enhance IP commercialization capabilities of undergraduate students by simulating decision-making regarding market size, user requirements, product pricing, competitors, substitute products, time-to-market, product production arrangements and strategic use of the terms of a patent.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation of this research involves the impossibility of completely addressing the venture launch gap. Despite the realistic learning experience based on a real patent, as students do not own the intellectual property rights (IPRs) associated with the patents used in the course, it is not possible to implement the business models developed during the course.

Practical implications

Since patent documents are freely available and companies are increasingly dependent on intellectual property (IP) assets to remain competitive, our study provides evidence that patents can provide a rich source of information that can be used to simulate venture creations by taking into consideration economical, strategical, and legal skills needed to bridge the technology commercialization gap.

Social implications

Given the lack of courses addressing intellectual property in the wide majority of Brazilian undergraduate courses, the teaching experience described in this study contributes to raise the sense of urgency for the commercialization of patents among college students, as a means of turning technology into business.

Originality/value

Despite of the growing correlation between IP and competitiveness, teaching methods relying on IP data, such as patents, industrial designs and trademarks, in research institutions located in developing countries have received limited treatment in the extant literature.

Citation

Cavalheiro, G.M.d.C., Cavalheiro, M.B. and Mariano, S. (2020), "A patent-based model of entrepreneurship education in Brazil", Education + Training, Vol. 62 No. 7/8, pp. 947-963. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-07-2019-0164