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Patents and Academic Research: A State of the Art

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Author Info
Nicolas van Zeebroeck () (Centre Emile Bernheim, Solvay Business School, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels.)
Bruno van Pottelsberghe () (Centre Emile Bernheim, Solvay Business School, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, DULBEA, Université Libre de Bruxelles and ECARES, Université Libre de Bruxelles.)
Dominique Guellec () (OECD -DSTI, Paris.)

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Abstract

The sharp increase in academic patenting over the past 20 years raises important issues regarding the generation and diffusion of academic knowledge. Three key questions may be raised in this respect: What is behind the surge in academic patenting? Does patenting affect the quality and quantity of universities' scientific output? Does the patent system limit the freedom to perform academic research? The present paper summarizes the existing literature on these issues. The evidence suggests that academic patenting has only limited effects on the direction, pace and quality of research. A virtuous cycle seems to characterise the patent-publication relationship. Secondly, scientific anti-commons show very little effects on academic researchers so far, limited to a few countries with weak or no research exemption regulations. In a nutshell, the evidence leads us to conclude that the benefits of academic patenting on research exceed their potential negative effects.

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File URL: http://www.solvay.edu/EN/Research/Bernheim/documents/wp08013.pdf
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File Function: First version, 2008
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Université Libre de Bruxelles, Solvay Business School, Centre Emile Bernheim (CEB) in its series Working Papers CEB with number 08-013.RS.

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Length: 17 pages
Date of creation: Apr 2008
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Handle: RePEc:sol:wpaper:08-013

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Related research
Keywords: Patent systems Research Exemption Academic Patenting.

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
O34 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Intellectual Property Rights
O50 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Campbell, Eric G. & Weissman, Joel S. & Causino, Nancyanne & Blumenthal, David, 2000. "Data withholding in academic medicine: characteristics of faculty denied access to research results and biomaterials," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 303-312, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Mowery, David C. & Ziedonis, Arvids A., 2002. "Academic patent quality and quantity before and after the Bayh-Dole act in the United States," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 399-418, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Eleftherios Sapsalis & Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, 2003. "Insight into the patenting performance of Belgian universities," Brussels Economic Review/Cahiers Economiques de Bruxelles, Editions du DULBEA, Université libre de Bruxelles, Department of Applied Economics (DULBEA), vol. 46(3), pages 37-58.
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  4. Azèle Mathieu & Martin Meyer & Bruno Van Pottelsberghe, 2007. "Turning science into business: A case study of a major European research university," Working Papers CEB 07-035.RS, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Solvay Business School, Centre Emile Bernheim (CEB). [Downloadable!]
  5. Fiona Murray & Scott Stern, 2005. "Do Formal Intellectual Property Rights Hinder the Free Flow of Scientific Knowledge? An Empirical Test of the Anti-Commons Hypothesis," NBER Working Papers 11465, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Chris Dent & Paul Jensen & Sophie Waller & Beth Webster, 2006. "Research Use of Patented Knowledge: A Review," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers 2006/2, OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry. [Downloadable!]
  7. Saragossi, Sarina & van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno, 2003. " What Patent Data Reveal about Universities: The Case of Belgium," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 47-51, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Sapsalis, Eleftherios & van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno & Navon, Ran, 2006. "Academic versus industry patenting: An in-depth analysis of what determines patent value," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1631-1645, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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This page was last updated on 2008-8-19.

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