Patent productivity: Strategic human resources and the attention-based view

Abstract

Scholars have argued that choices about a firm’s human resources are critical to innovation and, in turn, firm success. However, studies of the role human resources (HR) in innovation have tended to focus on the individual level. Yet, broader strategic choices about HR can also impact innovation, and specifically the patent productivity of the firm. Here we draw on the attention-based view to guide the examination of three key concerns for strategic HR management by the top management team (TMT), and the relationship of these variables with patent productivity. We specifically examine TMT rhetoric, presence of an HR executive on the TMT, and HR slack. Our examination shows that the innovation rhetoric of the TMT can be beneficial to patent productivity, while HR slack detracts from patent productivity. Looking deeper we find limited support for the notion that time lags positively moderate the influence of innovation rhetoric and the HR executive effect on patent productivity.