PhD Dissertation Defense, Martin Hétu, Strategy and Business Policy

Congratulations to Dr Martin Hétu, Strategy and Business Policy specialization, who successfully defended his Doctoral Dissertation at HEC Paris, on August 30, 2021. Dr Hétu has accepted a postdoc position at the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, starting September, 2021.

Specialization: Strategy and Business Policy

Dissertation Topic: 
Essays on the Cross-Border Implications of Intellectual Property Rights Institutions 

Advisors: 
Denisa Mindruta, Associate Professor, HEC Paris, advisor, 
Will Mitchell, Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Co-advisor

Jury Members:

• Olivier Chatain, Associate Professor, HEC Paris, 
• Glenn Hoetker, Professor, Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne, 
• Karin Hoisl, Professor, UM Business School, University of Mannheim,
• Michelle Gittelman, Associate Professor, Rutgers Business School, Rutgers University, 
   
• Denisa Mindruta, Associate Professor, HEC Paris, advisor, 
• Will Mitchell, Professor, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Co-advisor.

Abstract:
This dissertation investigates how technology commercialisation and scientist mobility are influenced by the strength of national intellectual property rights (IPR) institutions. More specifically, I examine the impact of IPR institutions on firm investment and entry strategies in technological markets at the national and international levels as well as the mobility of scientists across borders and organisations. I rely on the exogenous invalidation of gene patents by the 2013 United States Supreme Court Myriad decision to develop a difference-in-differences design, with the European Union, where gene patents remained valid, as the control group. Finegrained analyses revealed interesting distinctions in firm and scientist behavior in the US and the EU. First, I found that the reduction in the strength of IPR institutions did not affect technology development investments in aggregate but led to a decrease in investments by pre-shock startups and the redeployment of investments from home areas to related new areas by pre-shock established firms. Second, I found that the reduction in the strength of IPR institutions led to an increase in inbound mobility of foreign scientists, mainly driven by highly talented scientists moving into academic organisations. Third, I found that the reduction in the strength of IPR institutions had a positive impact on market entry by foreign firms, especially by foreign new entrants.