We develop three sets of theoretical boundary conditions for the firm-specific advantages (FSA) and country-specific advantages (CSA) view of intellectual property rights (IPR) in international business. These conditions explain when and where MNEs’ FSAs accrued from IPR assets (IPR-FSAs) are larger or smaller. In terms of IPR assets’ structure, we explicate the conditions creating complementarity problems among MNEs’ IPR that make IPR-FSAs larger, and the conditions under which complementarity problems between MNEs’ IPR and closely related legal rights make IPR-FSAs smaller. In terms of IPR assets’ geographic deployability, we explicate the rare conditions under which certain IPR-FSAs are non-location bound. However, we also explain that most IPR-FSAs are quasi-location-bound, and sometimes can even be fully location-bound, and therefore are smaller for MNEs’ units abroad. In terms of IPR assets’ defensibility, we explicate the conditions allowing IPR to still afford FSAs to MNEs even if the IPR cannot be favorably enforced. We argue that integrating these conditions into the FSA–CSA framework enables it to more precisely explain when and where there are heterogeneities in the size of MNEs’ IPR-FSAs. We also explain how our work can facilitate the empirical study of IPR-FSAs in international business research and guide MNEs’ IPR strategies.

我们为国际商务中知识产权（IPR）的企业特定优势（FSA）和国家特定优势（CSA）观点开发了三组理论边界条件。这些条件解释了跨国企业从知识产权资产中累积的 FSA (IPR-FSA) 何时何地较大或较小。从知识产权资产结构的角度，阐述了跨国企业知识产权之间产生互补性问题导致IPR-FSA规模增大的条件，以及跨国企业知识产权与密切相关的法律权利之间的互补性问题导致IPR-FSA规模较小的条件。就知识产权资产的地理可部署性而言，我们阐述了某些知识产权-金融服务区不受地点限制的罕见情况。然而，我们也解释说，大多数 IPR-FSA 是准位置绑定的，有时甚至可以是完全位置绑定的，因此跨国公司在海外的单位规模较小。在知识产权资产的防御性方面，我们阐述了即使知识产权无法得到有利执行，知识产权仍然可以向跨国企业提供金融服务协议的条件。我们认为，将这些条件纳入 FSA-CSA 框架使其能够更准确地解释跨国企业 IPR-FSA 规模何时何地存在异质性。我们还解释了我们的工作如何促进国际商业研究中知识产权-自由贸易协定的实证研究，并指导跨国企业的知识产权战略。我们认为，将这些条件纳入 FSA-CSA 框架使其能够更准确地解释跨国企业 IPR-FSA 规模何时何地存在异质性。我们还解释了我们的工作如何促进国际商业研究中知识产权-自由贸易协定的实证研究，并指导跨国企业的知识产权战略。我们认为，将这些条件纳入 FSA-CSA 框架使其能够更准确地解释跨国企业 IPR-FSA 规模何时何地存在异质性。我们还解释了我们的工作如何促进国际商业研究中知识产权-自由贸易协定的实证研究，并指导跨国企业的知识产权战略。