Research Methodology Index for Telecommunications

Research Outline

1. Overview of Economics of Intellectual Property
   • Where does the literature says IP works and does not work?
   • What are the other incentives mentioned by the literature?
   • is there data on "how much of an increase of the tendency towards enclosure". e.g. how much does the biotechnology field have patented? Has this movement increased over time?
   • Transition to analysis of why this matters to the specific field
2. Give an overall picture of the field.
   • How was this field born and how is it evolving? See Introduction to Telecommunications Industries.
   • What are the main business models? See Value Chain in Telecommunications.
   • What are the innovation dynamics in this field? (inputs/outputs, timing of innovation/ disruptive or incremental innovation?) See Introduction to Telecommunications Industries
   • How does knowledge flow in this field? See Value Chain in Telecommunications and Economics of Intellectual Property in Telecommunications.
   • Is this field replicating models from other fields? Unanswered
   • How many companies? See Value Chain in Telecommunications.
   • How much money do they make or how much money do they “move” in the American economy? See Introduction to Telecommunications Industries.
   • How important is research from universities in this specific field? See Value Chain in Telecommunications.
   • How important is public funding in this field? Unanswered
   • How important is private funding / venture capital in this field? Unanswered
   • Are there any specific public policies (from agencies, federal or state policies) that give incentives for openness or enclosure? See Introduction to Telecommunications Industries.
   • What is the cost structure of the field? Unanswered
   • Who are the producers, the buyers, and the users? See Value Chain in Telecommunications.
   • What is the structure of power from the production side and what is the structure of power in the demand side? E.g., who has the power to control production and demand? How is the control distributed? See Value Chain in Telecommunications.
3. Define what kind of data, narratives and tools constitute the outputs of the field and its dynamics (e.g.: data in science may get better if open once it receives annotations and can be improved by other scientist).
4. Define the main legal tools of protection (privatization) available for the field (patents, copyright, trademark, trade secrets, contracts, public domain) (remember the exercise done in genomics and proteomics).
   • • (note to R.A. - try to create a matrix that cross references the previous two questions - let's try several ways to visualize how the narratives either hit barriers based on protection or can be synergistic via open licensing approaches - an example is the table in the Case Analysis Framework)
5. Define the competitive advantages in the field and the barriers of entry
6. What are the 10 biggest for-profit companies in this field?
   • How is the market distributed?
   • Where are they located? Are there any incentives for specific locations?
   • Correlate them with their main outputs (Data. Narratives. Tools)
   • Understand and identify cases where these companies are “experimenting” or “adopting” commons-based approaches
   • Identify these cases and treat them as entities that will also be placed in our mapping*device (the quadrants)
   • Identify what companies are the “Microsofts” of the field and what companies are the “IBMs” of the field
7. What are the 5 to 10 biggest non-profit companies in this field?
   • How is the market distributed?
   • Where are they located? Are there any incentives for specific locations?
   • Correlate them with their main outputs (Data. Narratives. Tools)
   • Understand and identify cases where these companies are “experimenting” or “adopting” commons based approaches
   • Identify these cases and treat them as entities that will also be placed in our mapping device (the quadrants).
   • Identify what non-profits are the “Microsofts” of the field and what companies are the “IBMs” of the field.(Use the questionnaire to guide your research when appropriate - Carol will select specific relevant and helpful questions)
8. What are the 5 top Universities in this field?
   • Correlate them with their main outputs (Data. Narratives. Tools)
   • Understand and identify cases where these universities are “experimenting” or “adopting” commons based approach. Are they adopting OA policies, for instance? Are they adopting Social Responsible License approaches?
   • Identify these cases and treat them as entities that will also be placed in our mapping device (the quadrants)
   • Identify what universities are the “Microsofts” of the field and what companies are the “IBMs” of the field (Use the questionnaire to guide your research when appropriate - Carol will select specific relevant questions)
9. Are there associations in this field/market (business associations, university associations, professional associations) that are relevant for the IP debate in this field? Identify their policies, recommendations and/or best practices related to IP of their members.
10. Commons based cases (the cases that we know will appear in the right part of the quadrants)
    • Identify cases
    • Correlate them with their main outputs (Data. Narratives. Tools)
    • How and in what extent they are “experimenting” or “adopting” commons-based approach. Are they adopting OA policies, for instance? Are they adopting Social Responsible License approaches?
    • Identify these cases and treat them as entities that will also be placed in our mapping device (the quadrants)
    • Identify what actors are participating on this and what actors are just observers (Use the questionnaire to guide your research when appropriate - Carol will select specific relevant and helpful questions)