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Historical patent data: A practitioner's guide

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  • Michael J. Andrews

Abstract

I provide a primer on six recent large‐scale historical patent data sets for use in innovation research. I discuss how each data set is constructed, the types of patent information included in each, and the quality and completeness of each. Throughout, I emphasize when our knowledge of the history of invention is dependent on the data source used and provide recommendations about which data set is most likely to be best for different contexts. Overall, these data sets paint a remarkably consistent picture of the history of U.S. invention. When the data sets do disagree, these differences tend to be minor, although I highlight some important exceptions. I further describe several “niche” historical patent data sets that allow researchers to study institutional contexts that cannot be studied using modern data. Finally, I discuss features of patent data that are not available for the historical patents but are available for modern patents.

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  • Michael J. Andrews, 2021. "Historical patent data: A practitioner's guide," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 368-397, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jemstr:v:30:y:2021:i:2:p:368-397
    DOI: 10.1111/jems.12414
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    2. Enrico Berkes & Davide M. Coluccia & Gaia Dossi & Mara P. Squicciarini, 2023. "Dealing with adversity: Religiosity or science? Evidence from the great influenza pandemic," POID Working Papers 068, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Cyril Verluise & Gabriele Cristelli & Kyle Higham & Gaetan de Rassenfosse, 2020. "The Missing 15 Percent of Patent Citations," Working Papers 13, Chair of Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy.
    4. Enrico Berkes & Davide M. Coluccia & Gaia Dossi & Mara P. Squicciarini, 2023. "Dealing with adversity: religiosity or science? Evidence from the great influenza pandemic," CEP Discussion Papers dp1927, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    5. Michael J. Andrews, 2023. "How Do Institutions of Higher Education Affect Local Invention? Evidence from the Establishment of US Colleges," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 1-41, May.
    6. Berkes, Enrico & Coluccia, Davide M. & Dossi, Gaia Greta & Squicciarini, Mara P., 2023. "Dealing with adversity: religiosity or science? Evidence from the great influenza pandemic," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121318, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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