Brain Utilization of MNCs in Japan Compared with that of Japanese Companies Overseas

Multi-national Companies (MNCs) globalize their operation including research and development (R&D). They utilize local brains when conducting R&D. This paper discuss their brain utilization in Japan compared with that of Japanese companies overseas by analyzing the locations of inventors of intellectual property rights (IPRs) registered in the United States. The paper found out that MNCs started using Japanese brains to create IPRs very early and that Japanese companies started using overseas brains to create IPRs quite late. However, Japanese companies are very active in using overseas brains recently.