大眾應用軟體經營模式上，長久以來，一直以與電腦硬體搭配銷售或零售店盒裝式的軟體販售為主，盜版問題亦是許多軟體服務提供者心中的痛；然而，當未來網路服務品質更趨穩定，所有應用軟體程式皆可在線上操作執行時，勢必會一改所謂販賣套裝軟體獲利的傳統資訊市場的經營模式。 經由市場相關資訊、應用軟體個案的探討，本研究認為免費與付費式軟體服務將以不同的價值共存於市場機制中。免費式服務能有效爭取到消費者嘗試新產品服務的興趣，使軟體服務提供者在擁有相當使用量或使用族群同質性高的情況下，能藉由經營廣告平台、銷售週邊硬體產品、提供後續加值服務，或轉戰企業用戶市場等模式獲利；另一方面，在為了提升消費者合法使用軟體服務的動機之前提下，收費式軟體服務方面，業者廠商應根據其產品功能、了解消費者使用的目的，增加其選購軟體服務的彈性，可從產品功能、消費者、時間等聚集構面，彈性地依消費者使用軟體功能模組的程度、使用人數、使用時間的長短等設計合理的收費機制。 最後，本研究也建議消費者應轉變過去只想以免費方式全程享受軟體服務的觀念，了解到免費式軟體服務主要是提供一種嘗試，幫助了解該軟體服務是否滿足本身使用需求；而付費式軟體服務則是進一步提供一流暢的使用經驗，提供一套具備安全、整合、方便性、隨時可用性等客製化服務。 / The suite software package sold in retail shops or combined with the computer is the main and general business model in the application software market but at the same time piracy problem is very serious. Especially, when all software service could be operated smoothly on the Web, there should be some new business models against that situation. Gone through elaborating recent marketing researches and some case studies in the market, the study showed that both free and paid for software service would stand with different value in the market. Free is the best marketing strategy at the first step, which helps software service providers gathering mass use base effectively, and pushing some profit-making strategies (i.e. advertisement platform, value-added service). On the other hand, paid software service providers should break traditional suit style of software sale, and consider how to draw up a reasonable fee rule, which should include some important elements (i.e. consumer’s behavior, use frequency etc.) Finally, the study also recommended consumers that the free service is just a way to make them further understand whether this service content could meet their requirements. However, the paid service will bring them a more convenient digital life with superior quality.

Topic:When an MNC seeks to enter a foreign country, it must choose the most appropriate entry mode for that specific market, such as exporting, licensing, a turnkey project, franchising, joint ventures or wholly-owned subsidiaries. There are many factors which affect the choice of entry modes. Influential factors contributing to the entry mode decision can have different degrees of impact for each particular country. As a consequence, an MNC has to use different entry modes in order to adapt to the specific situations it faces in its international expansion strategy. Research Problem: Our research problem is to find the answer to two specific research questions while investigating in a particular MNC: Starbucks. The relevant questions are: (1.) What factors affected Starbucks’ entry mode decisions? (2.) Which entry mode strategies did Starbucks use foreign markets and why? Method: We collected data through a qualitative method. We regarded that a qualitative research method would provide us the necessary data to understand entry mode decisions. We collected data through literature, books, journals, and Internet resources. We have decided to focus our qualitative research on exploring Starbucks’ entry mode decision in some specific markets. In particular, we have concentrated on Spain, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Conclusions: The choice of entry mode is a critical decision made by MNCs. The choice is influenced by several factors; we have divided these into internal and external factors. We have found both groups are important in the decisions made by Starbucks. However, the degree of influence is different in each case. Moreover, it is possible that some influential factors in the choice of entry mode can differ by case. Finally, we have found external factors have been critical in affecting Starbucks’ choice of entry modes. Starbucks has sought to adapt to those external factors and local needs and requirements by using different entry modes.

在知識掛帥的社會裡，技術創新極具重要性，無論是個人、學術機構、研究機關、企業團體或政府組織，技術創新是成長發展與面對競爭的原動力，同時也是國家於國際競爭中，賴以存活的力量。 有鑑於1980年美國制定拜杜法案(Bayh-Dole Act)推動技術創新，台灣於1999年跟進制定「科技基本法」，而韓國亦於2000年制定「技術移轉促進法」，但根據統計資料顯示，韓國與台灣無論在技術移轉比例或技術資金規模皆不比美國拜杜法案帶來的經濟成效顯著。技術移轉收入，也較研究開發費用為低，技術移轉與推及商業化之預期效益，仍相當有限，顯見由於文化及產業環境上的差別，美國經驗在韓國、台灣並不能全然適用。 現今台灣的學術研究機構及民間技術交易機關，仍試圖迴避技術移轉的相關活動，對市場動向抱持著觀望的態度；相反地，需要技術的中小企業，卻依舊在探索新亮點技術，期盼增快技術移轉商品化的腳步。在供需高度失衡的現況之下，可以想見該市場仍有龐大的發展空間；反觀韓國，在相關輔導政策與執行成效上，似有較詳盡之規劃與成果。 本研究藉由分析韓國相關的技術移轉政策與制度，綜合相關內容提出以下建議：首先，台灣技轉單位強化技術移轉後之管理並提高專任組織之能力與競爭力、善用外部專業能力協助遴選優良技術；研發單位亦須更注重市場端的技術需求；政府則應合併改組重複的部門、協助提供客製化教育訓練、培養技術商品化專家，並依技轉實績進行獎勵或支援，最後，大學、政府與產業界之間應加強溝通交流，方可解決技術及市場間的供需失衡議題。

This study explains the rise and fall of the Innovations Foundation, the University of Toronto's first office dedicated to the transfer of university-developed technologies to industry. Drawing on extensive archival research, ten interviews with key informants, and other sources, the case study traces the evolution of the Foundation from its launch in 1980 to its closure in 2006. The study delineates three distinct business models under which the Foundation operated from 1980 to 1990, 1990 to 1999, and 1999 to 2006. The reasons for the adoption and failure of each model are explored and a historically grounded, context-sensitive explanation of the university's decision to dismantle the Foundation in 2006 is provided. This explanation emphasizes the importance of managing unrealistic expectations for Canadian university technology transfer, and adds weight to a growing consensus on the importance of historical path-dependence as a conceptual tool for understanding the persistence of differentials in technology transfer performance among universities.

This study explains the rise and fall of the Innovations Foundation, the University of Toronto's first office dedicated to the transfer of university-developed technologies to industry. Drawing on extensive archival research, ten interviews with key informants, and other sources, the case study traces the evolution of the Foundation from its launch in 1980 to its closure in 2006. The study delineates three distinct business models under which the Foundation operated from 1980 to 1990, 1990 to 1999, and 1999 to 2006. The reasons for the adoption and failure of each model are explored and a historically grounded, context-sensitive explanation of the university's decision to dismantle the Foundation in 2006 is provided. This explanation emphasizes the importance of managing unrealistic expectations for Canadian university technology transfer, and adds weight to a growing consensus on the importance of historical path-dependence as a conceptual tool for understanding the persistence of differentials in technology transfer performance among universities.

1980年，在美國拜杜法案（Bayh-Dole Act）通過以後，政府補助研發成果從原屬於國家財產，下放歸屬權於研發單位。因此研發單位可自行管理並將研發成果授權至產業界，將研發成果商品化，此過程稱之為「技術移轉」。技術移轉是一個非常細膩且複雜的過程，有許多因素會左右技術移轉的成敗，其中包括：技術之品質、法律限制、政策因素、產業需求和資訊流通等因素。技術移轉將可以使研發成果商品化， 有助於提升政府稅收和權利金收入，並且推動科學發展和增加就業機會，為國家創造經濟收入。 本研究旨探如何提升政府補助國立生醫研究單位－台灣國家衛生研究院（NHRI）之授權績效。本研究將採用美國國家衛生研究院（NIH）之授權績效和授權執行方式當參考指標。為了得到精準和可信的數據，本研究僅截取官方之年報和網站的資料。與此同時，本研究末將會提供如何提升授權績效之建議。 此研究發現就2010年而言，NIH和NHRI之授權績效可謂旗鼓相當。儘管台灣立法規定「政府資訊公開法」，此研究發現台灣國家衛生研究院有選擇性的發表其授權績效的跡象。由於政府所有開銷均從其預算而來，而政府預算部分自人民納稅所得，因此監督政府績效是普羅大眾的基本權利。人民有權監督，並且要求政府就其管理、執行成效做出解釋。然而，台灣國家衛生研究院之資訊不透明舉動，限制了人民監督的權利，此舉將會因缺乏監督而惡性循環的造成授權績效更為疲弱。此外，此研究亦發現較少的授權契約種類、授權策略在地化、研發成果披露之不明確性、智慧財產委員會專利申請和授權策略失衡是造成NHRI授權成果疲弱的因素。 / Since the passage of U.S. Bayh-Dole Act in 1980, government-funded research inventions were no longer considered as government property. Invention could be patented and be licensed to industry through the process of commercialization for revenue return. Commercialization will create revenue in the form of royalty and taxes to the government, further driving scientific improvement and increase job opportunities. Technology commercialization is a very delicate process and there are a lot of factors that might alter the success, including but not limited to i) the quality of invention, ii) legislation restriction, iii) policy incentives, iv) industry interest, v) availability of information and etc. If managed properly, technology commercialization could bring high value to the academic institutes that developed an invention, to government that financially support academic research and to general public that could benefit from the invention itself. This study intends to identify the factors of the weak licensing performance in Taiwan government-funded national biomedical research organization, National Health Research Institute (NHRI). To evaluate the licensing performance of NHRI, this study will compare the licensing performance of NHRI with National Institute of Health (NIH) in the United States. To get accurate and formal data, this study will mainly retrieve data from official annual report and website. By comparing the practice of technology commercialization process of both institutes, this study could suggest possible flaws in NHRI’s licensing process in comparison to NIH. At the same time, this study will give suggestions to achieve a better licensing performance. This study concluded that both institute performed equally in FY 2010, but it has been noticed that NHRI were selectively in disclosing its licensing performance statistics and it is difficult to retrieve general information from NHRI, despite the availability of Freedom of Government Information Law (Taiwan). It’s the basic right for the general public to be able to supervise and surveillance a government agency’s performance as it utilizes the taxes contributed by a citizen in a country. The limitation of information disclosure by NHRI has made it difficult for general public supervise its licensing performance, of which might further contribute to even weaker licensing performance due to lack of supervision. This research also concluded that few options of licensing contracts, localization in licensing strategy, confusion in technology disclosure, possible misalignment of patenting & licensing strategy of the IP Management Committee contributes to weak licensing performance in the NHRI.

美國因拜杜法案頒佈，將研發成果下放研發機構的推波助瀾下，不論是授權或成立新創事業，專利成功商品化的例子大量增加，同時為了將研發成果推展到產業創造經濟價值，許多專責單位紛紛成立，大學或研發機構普設技術移轉辦公室（Technology licensing office, TLO）。 而不論是大學或研發機構，其技術與研發成果，唯有透過商品化的過程，才能獲取真正的利益；商品化的方式依其技術特性的不同，可以區分為「專利授權」與「創立衍生企業」兩種方式；兩者沒有優劣之分，端視技術本身特性進行選擇。 鄰近我國的日本，擁有豐沛的研發能量，日本大企業在國際產業也多居領導地位；然其大學與研發機構研究成果的授權或實際創立企業的成績，長期以來都不理想，為了提升日本的國際競爭力，日本政府十年來陸續頒佈許多相關法案，學校與研發機構更積極配合運作。 本研究訪問東京大學、早稻田大學、AIST與東京工業大學等單位後發現，技術移轉辦公室在研發成果商品化的過程中，同時扮演導正研發方向與輔導廠商成長的雙重角色：其藉由業師輔導（Mentoring）、創業教育（Education）、激勵誘因（Incentive）、專利行銷（Marketing）、投資資金（Investment）與衝突解決（Resolution）這六個構面作為，使組織內人員之研發方向不偏離市場所需，並協助廠商提升承接技術移轉的能力，進而提升研發成果商品化的成功機率。 關鍵字：技術移轉辦公室、TLO、商品化、技術授權、衍生企業 / With the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act, the transfer of exclusively controlled research efforts to research and development organizations as well as business operation fosters successful commercialization of the patent-licensing business and new ventures; meanwhile, university or research institutions establish Technology Licensing Office (TLO) performing a wide variety of highly specialized patenting and licensing functions of inventions to develop research outcomes to commercial marketplace in order to create economic value. From universities to research institutions, commercialization process is the only way to extract profit from technology research efforts. The patterns of Commercialization can be split into two forms by its characteristics: Patent-licensing and Spin-off ventures. Choices between the above two commercialization patterns are not based on pros and cons but the characteristics. Japan owns powerful research energies and Japanese enterprises pioneer on international industries; however, the outcomes from licensing of new ventures or Japanese universities and academic research laboratories’ research results have been lack of success. To enhance international competitive advantages, Japanese government has enacted many related regulations and laws; meanwhile, universities and research laboratories are compliant aggressively with patenting and licensing regulations. After a series of researches have been conducted with Tokyo University, Wesada University, AIST and Tokyo Institute of Technology, Technology Licensing Office (TLO) enacts dual roles of engaging in correcting research direction and supporting the development of new industries during the process of commercialization: through the following six aspects: Mentoring, Education, Incentive, Marketing, Investment and Resolution to ensure research direction best meet market’s needs and enhance business entities’ abilities of technology transfer; furthermore, to increase the success rate from commercialization of research outcomes. Key Word: TLO、commercialization、licensing、spin-off venture.

近年來，智慧財產議題在西方國家受到極大的重視，然而現在亞洲國家，如日本、韓國以及台灣也開始關注智慧財產權。智慧財產權對於創作人或發明人而言，能夠給予他們一段時間的壟斷或保護，使其取得一定的報酬；對於企業而言，智慧財產權訴訟能夠讓企業擁有持續性的競爭優勢，並保障其在某個市場區段的獲利。因此，小至個人、大至企業、國家，都會因為智慧財產權制度的發達而受益。 除此之外，智慧財產也開始以交易標之姿展現其價值，企業或是獨立專利權人授權其專利或是各項智慧財產以獲取利潤。即使智慧財產之交易日益興盛，但公開透明的交易市場卻遲遲未出現。顯然在智慧財產之商業環境的建構上我們依舊有所闕漏。為了活化無形資產之交易市場，我們必須要發展出一套關於授權策略之理論，才能更有效率地管理各式無形資產。 然而，在多數的文獻當中都將授權行為視為法律議題，而非商業考量。但事實上契約雖然是以法律形式存在，但背後之動機卻是出於企業之商業考量。若單純就法律觀點來探討此議題，恐會造成對於企業授權策略之研究之不足，因此本研究將從管理的觀點出發探討授權策略並釐清其與企業經營模式間之關係。 植基於此，本研究選擇了IC產業中11家績效良好的矽智財供應商作為研究標的，在該領域中授權交易已經行之有年且市場建構完備。並透過訪談相關實務界人士以及蒐集研究標的公司之年報、報章雜誌以及網站資訊等次級資料進行分析，得出目前矽智財供應商主要的經營模式共可分為四類，並逐一解析各種經營模式有何異同。除此之外，更擷取出授權策略之組成亦可分為四個元素，以及分析企業之經營考量如何影響到在各項元素上選擇。 / In decades, intellectual property has got a lot of attention in the Western world. Now Asian countries such as Japan, Korea and Taiwan start to pay attention to this issue. Intellectual property rights grant patentee the exclusive rights for a period to perform his innovations, which can reward himself. For enterprises, intellectual property litigation has become a tool to sustain competitive advantages, and protect the profitability. In this case, the whole society will gain benefit from the intellectual property. In addition, intellectual property has proved itself as an exchange object , firms or individual patentees licensed their patents or other intellectual property to get revenue. Although the transactions has been carries out more and more frequently, the open , transparent exchange market of intangible asset is still not rising. Obviously , we still have to make much effort on improving business environment. In order to active the intangible property market, we must develop the theory of licensing strategy to manage the intangible assets orderly. However, in most of literature, license has been considered as a legal issue, instead of a business one. Contract itself is legal terms, but in fact, licensing strategy origin from firm’s business consideration. So we need to research this issue form managerial perspective to gain more understanding about licensing strategy. On the basis, this study will discuss the issue from managerial perspective, and clarify the between patent licensing strategy and business model. This study selects 11 leading SIP providers as research object, which had built a well-developed licensing market. By interviewing practisers and collecting, analyzing targeted firm’s annual reports, newspapers, website information etc. , the consequence reveals that the business model of SIP providers can be divided into four categories, and figure out the difference between the four ones. In addition, this study extracts four elements that comprise licensing strategy, analyzing how business model affects licensing strategy.

Innovation comprises the processes of invention and commercialization. While the importance of innovation, especially commercialization, has been widely recognized, existing studies have largely overlooked the commercialization process. By examining the determinants of uses and nonuses of patented inventions from firms at the levels of technology, organization, and project/invention, this study attempts to help fill a critical gap in the literature. In doing so, it enriches theoretical understandings of innovation and, in particular, builds on the evolutionary explanation of technology development, the Teecian framework on profiting from innovation, Transaction Cost Economics (TCE), the Knowledge-Based View (KBV), and open innovation and innovation network perspectives. It also reveals an empirical reality of commercial use and strategic nonuse of patents. The study is based on a novel dataset constructed from multiple sources: inventor surveys, the United States Patent and Trademark Office online database, and COMPUSTAT, among others. After examining the factors affecting overall propensity to commercialize patented inventions, this study explores the factors that affect the organizational paths of commercialization. The empirical estimation indicates that technological uncertainty and a strong internal position of complementary assets raise the propensity for internal commercialization. The study argues that openness of innovation processes and network relationships should affect the choice of commercialization paths. Consistent with the hypotheses, empirical estimations show that external industrial knowledge increases the propensity of internal commercialization. The study also indicates that collaboration has diverging effects on the choice of commercialization paths. While collaboration with firms in vertical relationships tends to favor internal commercialization, collaboration with firms in horizontal relationships tends to favor external commercialization (licensing, start-up). Finally, the study reports findings on the strategic use of patents and then tests hypotheses about the factors driving strategic nonuse. It concludes that a significant portion of U.S. patents are indeed filed for strategic reasons. It also finds that characteristics of technology and firms are significantly associated with different strategies. In particular, firms are more likely to use a patent for strategic defensive purposes when they have larger amounts of assets. The study concludes with discussing managerial and policy implications.

Η αδειοδότηση της αντιγραφή του DNA συνίσταται στη συγκρότηση προαντιγραφικών συμπλόκων στη χρωματίνη, στα οποία μετέχουν οι πρωτεΐνες ORC, Cdt1, Cdc6 και MCM2-7. Η πρωτεΐνη Cdt1 αποικοδομείται μετά από βλάβη στο DNA και ενδέχεται να συνδέει το σύστημα αδειοδότησης και το σύστημα απόκρισης σε βλάβη στο DNA. Στη διδακτορική αυτή διατριβή μελετήθηκε η αλληλεπίδραση των συστημάτων αδειοδότησης και απόκρισης σε βλάβη στο DNA με μεθόδους λειτουργικής μικροσκοπίας σε ανθρώπινα κύτταρα, εστιάζοντας στους παράγοντες αδειοδότησης Cdt1 και MCM4. Ο παράγοντας Cdt1 μελετήθηκε μετά από καθολική και εντοπισμένη έκθεση ανθρώπινων κυττάρων σε υπεριώδη ακτινοβολία (UV). Δείχθηκε ότι ακτινοβόληση με UV οδηγεί στην αποικοδόμηση του παράγοντα Cdt1 σε διαφορετικές κυτταρικές σειρές. Ο χρόνος αποικοδόμησης της πρωτεΐνης Cdt1 όμως διαφοροποιείται σημαντικά ανάλογα με τον κυτταρικό τύπο και συγκεκριμένα παρουσιάζει καθυστέρηση στην κυτταρική σειρά καρκινώματος μαστού MCF7 σε σχέση με άλλες καρκινικές σειρές (HeLa, U2OS) και φυσιολογικούς ανθρώπινους ινοβλάστες. Μελέτη της πρωτεΐνης Cdt1 στο χώρο μετά από εντοπισμένη ακτινοβόληση μιας μικρής υποπεριοχής του πυρήνα έδειξε ότι η πρωτεΐνη Cdt1 συσσωρεύεται στην περιοχή της βλάβης από υπεριώδη ακτινοβολία πριν από την αποικοδόμηση της. Παράλληλα, παρατηρήθηκε συσσώρευση στην περιοχή της βλάβης από UV των πρωτεϊνών PCNA, Cdt2 (συστατικό του Cul4-DDB1Cdt2 συστήματος ουβικουιτίνωσης, που είναι υπεύθυνο για την αποικοδόμηση του παράγοντα Cdt1), καθώς και της πρωτεΐνης p21 που στοχεύεται από το ίδιο σύστημα. Πειράματα επαναφοράς φθορισμού σε ζωντανά κύτταρα (Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching, FRAP) έδειξαν ότι στις περιοχές εντοπισμένης ακτινοβόλησης με UV οι πρωτεΐνες Cdt1, Cdt2, PCNA και p21 εμφανίζουν τροποποιημένη κινητική συμπεριφορά. Πειράματα αποσιώπησης της έκφρασης της πρωτεΐνης Cdt1 ανέδειξαν έναν ανασταλτικό ρόλο για το Cdt1 στο μονοπάτι επιδιόρθωσης διπλών θραύσεων με ομόλογο ανασυνδυασμό κατά τη διάρκεια της G1 φάσης. Στο δεύτερο μέρος αυτής της εργασίας, εισάγαμε μια νέα in vivo μέθοδο μελέτης της αδειοδότησης που στηρίζεται στην εφαρμογή της FRAP τεχνικής σε MCF7 κύτταρα σταθερά διαμολυσμένα με την πρωτεΐνη MCM4 σημασμένη με την πράσινη φθορίζουσα πρωτεΐνη GFP (GFP-MCM4). Η μέθοδος αυτή επιτρέπει τη μελέτη της κινητικής συμπεριφοράς της πρωτεΐνης MCM4 σε ζωντανά κύτταρα και σε πραγματικό χρόνο. Δείχθηκε ότι το σύστημα αναπαράγει τη λειτουργία της ενδογενούς MCM4 πρωτεΐνης και μπορεί να διακρίνει επιτυχώς μεταξύ αδειοδοτημένης και μη κατάστασης. Ακολούθως, το σύστημα χρησιμοποιήθηκε για να μελετηθεί η επίδραση της υπεριώδους ακτινοβολίας στην αδειοδότηση της χρωματίνης για αντιγραφή. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι επίδραση με υπεριώδη ακτινοβολία οδηγεί σε μείωση του κλάσματος της MCM4 που είναι προσδεδεμένο στη χρωματίνη. Περαιτέρω μέλετη έδειξε ότι η μείωση αυτή παρουσιάζεται στη φάση G1 του κυτταρικού κύκλου και περιορίζεται στην περιοχή της βλάβης, δείχνοντας ότι αποτελεί εντοπισμένη απόκριση του κυττάρου στην ύπαρξη βλάβης. Συμπερασματικά, η συγκεκριμένη διδακτορική διατριβή ανέδειξε την αλληλεπίδραση των συστημάτων αδειοδότησης της αντιγραφής του DNA και της κυτταρικής απόκρισης σε βλάβη στο DNA και εισήγαγε μια νέα μέθοδο μελέτης της αδειοδότησης της αντιγραφής του DNA. Μελετήθηκαν οι παράγοντες του συστήματος αδειοδότησης Cdt1 και MCM4, οι οποίοι αποκρίνονται στη βλάβη στο DNA, με το Cdt1 να παίζει ρόλο στην επιλογή επιδιορθωτικού μηχανισμού μετά από πρόκληση βλάβης διπλών θραύσεων του DNA και την πρωτεΐνη MCM4 να εμφανίζει μειωμένη πρόσδεση στη χρωματίνη στην περιοχή της βλάβης μετά από ακτινοβόληση με UV. / Licensing DNA for replication involves the formation of pre-replicative complexes on chromatin, consisting of the proteins ORC, Cdt1, Cdc6 and MCM2-7. Cdt1 is degraded following DNA damage and this suggests a regulatory crosstalk between DNA licensing and DNA damage response (DDR) systems. Here the molecular interplay between these two systems was studied in human cell cultures. The kinetics of Cdt1 degradation in response to UV irradiation was shown to differ in different human cell lines, exhibiting a delay in MCF7 cells in comparison to HeLa, U2OS and human fibroblasts, which implies a difference in the DDR sensitivity of these cells. By studying the spatial regulation of Cdt1 in response to localized DNA damage, the accumulation of Cdt1 in UV irradiated sites prior to its degradation was recorded. Proteins participating in the degradation of Cdt1 through ubiquitin dependent proteolysis (PCNA and Cdt2), as well as protein p21 which is targeted by the same ubiquitin ligase following DNA damage, were also shown to accumulate at UV irradiated sites. Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) experiments showed that Cdt1, Cdt2, PCNA and p21 exhibit altered kinetics at UV irradiated sites. Silencing of Cdt1 expression revealed an inhibitory role of Cdt1 in the repair of double strand breaks through homologous recombination during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In the second part of this thesis, we introduced an in vivo licensing assay based on FRAP in MCF7 cells stably expressing MCM4 tagged with the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). This assay allows the study of the kinetic behaviour of MCM4 in live cells and in real time. A plasmid expressing GFP-MCM4 was constructed and MCF7 cells stably expressing this plasmid were produced. The GFP-MCM4 cell line was further characterized to ensure a correct cell cycle profile, GFP-MCM4 levels, subcellular localization, interactions with other MCM proteins and binding to chromatin. FRAP experiments on the stable GFP-MCM4 cells verified that the assay could successfully distinguish between licensed and unlicensed state. Using this assay, the effect of UV irradiation on MCM4 kinetics was studied. UV irradiation led to a decrease in the fraction of MCM4 binding to chromatin. This effect was more profound in middle G1 phase and was restricted to the site of UV irradiation. In conclusion, this thesis addressed the interaction of DNA licensing and DNA damage response systems and introduced an in vivo DNA licensing assay. Licensing proteins Cdt1 and MCM4 were shown to respond to DNA damage, with Cdt1 affecting the double strand break repair choice pathway and MCM4 exhibiting reduced chromatin binding following UV irradiation.