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Reassessing patent propensity: Evidence from a dataset of R&D awards, 1977–2004

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  • Fontana, Roberto
  • Nuvolari, Alessandro
  • Shimizu, Hiroshi
  • Vezzulli, Andrea

Abstract

It is well known that not all innovations are patented, but the exact volume of innovative activities undertaken outside the coverage of patent protection and, relatedly, the actual propensity to patent an innovation in different contexts remain, to a major degree, a matter of speculation. This paper presents an exploratory study comparing systematically patented and unpatented innovations over the period 1977–2004 across industrial sectors. The main data source is the ‘R&D 100 Awards’ competition organized by the journal Research and Development. Since 1963, the magazine has been awarding this prize to the 100 most technologically significant new products available for sale or licensing in the year preceding the judgments. We match the products winners of the R&D 100 awards competition with USPTO patents and we examine the variation of patent propensity across different contexts (industries, geographical areas and organizations). Finally we compare our findings with previous assessments of patent propensity based on several sources of data.

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  • Fontana, Roberto & Nuvolari, Alessandro & Shimizu, Hiroshi & Vezzulli, Andrea, 2013. "Reassessing patent propensity: Evidence from a dataset of R&D awards, 1977–2004," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(10), pages 1780-1792.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:42:y:2013:i:10:p:1780-1792
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2012.05.014
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    3. Sofia Patsali, 2019. "Opening the black box of university-suppliers' co-invention: some field study evidence," Working Papers of BETA 2019-46, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
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    5. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Callum Wilkie, 2019. "Innovating in less developed regions: What drives patenting in the lagging regions of Europe and North America," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 4-37, March.
    6. Stephan, Annegret & Schmidt, Tobias S. & Bening, Catharina R. & Hoffmann, Volker H., 2017. "The sectoral configuration of technological innovation systems: Patterns of knowledge development and diffusion in the lithium-ion battery technology in Japan," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 709-723.
    7. Hanna Rydehell & Anders Isaksson & Hans Löfsten, 2019. "Business networks and localization effects for new Swedish technology-based firms’ innovation performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1547-1576, October.
    8. Mariani, Manuel Sebastian & Medo, Matúš & Lafond, François, 2019. "Early identification of important patents: Design and validation of citation network metrics," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 644-654.
    9. Chen, I-Ju & Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Officer, Micah S. & Wang, Yanzhi, 2020. "The Oscar goes to…: High-tech firms’ acquisitions in response to rivals’ technology breakthroughs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).
    10. John Lester & Jacek Warda, 2018. "An International Comparison of Tax Assistance for R&D: 2017 Update and Extension to Patent Boxes," SPP Research Papers, The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, vol. 11(13), April.
    11. Philipp B. Cornelius & Bilal Gokpinar, 2020. "The Role of Customer Investor Involvement in Crowdfunding Success," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(1), pages 452-472, January.
    12. Manajit Chakraborty & Maksym Byshkin & Fabio Crestani, 2020. "Patent citation network analysis: A perspective from descriptive statistics and ERGMs," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, December.
    13. Daniel P. Gross, 2019. "The Consequences of Invention Secrecy: Evidence from the USPTO Patent Secrecy Program in World War II," NBER Working Papers 25545, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Nnaemeka Vincent Emodi & Girish Panchakshara Murthy & Chinenye Comfort Emodi & Adaeze Saratu Augusta Emodi, 2017. "A Literature Review on the Factors Influencing Patent Propensity," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(03), pages 1-30, June.
    15. Domini, Giacomo, 2016. "Patents, exhibitions and markets for innovation in the early twentieth century: Evidence from Turin 1911 International Exhibition," MERIT Working Papers 2016-061, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    16. Georg von Graevenitz & Stuart J. H. Graham & Amanda Myers, 2019. "Distance (Still) Hampers Diffusion of Innovations," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2019-05, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    17. Georg von Graevenitz & Stuart J. H. Graham & Amanda Myers, 2019. "Distance (Still) Hampers Diffusion of Innovations," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2019-05R, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    18. Filippetti, Andrea & Guy, Frederick, 2020. "Labor market regulation, the diversity of knowledge and skill, and national innovation performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).

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