You are part of a fictitious meeting between two potential licensing partners; Adidas is the licensor, and Timex is the licensee. They are meeting for the first time. Select either Adidas or Timex and take their "licensing perspective" (i.e. licensor or licensee)
Develop a list of 10 due diligence questions you would ask the other company executives in the meeting to better understand them. For example, if you are Timex (the licensee) and seek to use the Adidas brand for a new line of athletic performance watches, you will want to ask Adidas executives several questions (hence performing due diligence).
Give a brief explanation of why your questions are important relative to your chosen company's licensing perspective. Post your list of questions and associated explanation the following with references:
Full Answer Section
- What are your royalty rates? This is an important financial consideration, as I need to make sure that the royalties are fair and affordable.
- What are your quality control standards? This is important to ensure that the watches I produce meet Adidas' high standards.
- What are your intellectual property rights (IPR) policies? This is important to understand so that I can avoid infringing on Adidas' IPR.
- What are your termination clauses? This is important to understand so that I know how to end the licensing agreement if necessary.
- What are your dispute resolution procedures? This is important to understand so that I know how to resolve any disputes that may arise.
- What are your references? This is important to see how other companies have worked with Adidas and what their experiences have been.
These are just a few of the due diligence questions I would ask Adidas if I were Timex. By asking these questions, I would be able to better understand Adidas' brand, target audience, marketing plans, sales goals, royalty rates, quality control standards, IPR policies, termination clauses, dispute resolution procedures, and references. This information would be essential for me to make an informed decision about whether or not to enter into a licensing agreement with Adidas.
I believe that these questions are important relative to Timex's licensing perspective because they would help me to assess the risks and rewards of the proposed licensing agreement. By understanding Adidas' brand, target audience, marketing plans, sales goals, royalty rates, quality control standards, IPR policies, termination clauses, dispute resolution procedures, and references, I would be able to make a more informed decision about whether or not the agreement is in Timex's best interests.
I would also ask these questions in order to build trust and rapport with Adidas. By showing that I am taking the time to understand their business and their needs, I would be more likely to be seen as a valuable partner. This could ultimately lead to a more successful licensing agreement for both companies.