The aim of this thesis is to examine the purpose and feasibility of strategies to design around product patents across companies and industries to gain a basis for meaningful decision making, often with the long term goal of achieving a strategic competitive advantage. In this work, the author applies the well known strategic principles behind the organizational capability perspective, the industrial organizational theory and time-based theories to the topic of designing around product patents with the goal to analyze under which conditions a sustainable competitive advantage can be achieved.

During his academic career, Stefan König completed two master's degrees in Export-oriented Management and Business Administration respectively. Since 2012 he has been following his passion of working in various fields within the IT industry, with a focus on project management, consulting and change management.