Competitive dynamics theory overlooks an entire class of players who pose a serious threat to commercial firms: nonmarket players (NMPs) such as activists, environmentalists, social entrepreneurs, and NGOs. Using an institutional perspective, this conceptual manuscript advances competitive dynamics theory by developing a framework of organizational hostility.The framework profiles NMPs according to their propensity to engage firms; it also classifies firms based on their vulnerability and initial reaction to NMP attacks. Corroborated with a mathematical model (Appendix), the conceptual framework explains why and which NMPs are most hostile to firms; why some NMPs issue threats while others strike out at commercial firms quickly and without warning; and which firms are most vulnerable to such hostility.

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Patents act as an incentive to innovate. However, as this paper argues, patents can discourage some innovators from innovating, reducing knowledge spillovers. The combined result of the above suggests a concave relationship between patent protection and output growth.intellectual property, patent races, growth,