All the great things you can do with trademark data: Taking stock and looking ahead

Abstract

Firms increasingly rely upon trademarks, but management research exploiting trademark data is surprisingly limited. Reasons for this include data availability, awareness, and bias toward other sources, in particular patents. I demonstrate how imaginative scholars have used trademarks to capture several elements of how, when, and to what extent firms bring (new) products and services to the market. Their work can inspire further applications, particularly now that trademarks are becoming more strategically relevant for companies and as more data are becoming available. After taking stock of what has already been achieved, I look ahead to original research by discussing conceptual and methodological opportunities.