A Dynamic Model of Research Contracting

This article analyzes the behavior of a single firm that is engaged in R&D for a "sponsor." We show that contractual forms that provide good incentives in a static environment may introduce incentive problems in a dynamic setting. More specifically, we show that a firm engaged in a sequence of R&D contracts is more likely to do research: (1) the lower are the costs of R&D, (2) the better is the state of sponsor knowledge, and (3) the longer is the sequence of contracts (given an appropriately high discount factor). We also show that the firm reveals a larger share of its results: (1) the better is the state of sponsor knowledge, (2) the better is the state of private knowledge possessed by the firm, and (3) the shorter is the sequence of contracts.