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Beyond the front page: In-text citations to patents as traces of inventor knowledge

Author

Listed:
  • Cyril Verluise

    (QuantumBlack)

  • Gabriele Cristelli

    (London School of Economics)

  • Kyle Higham

    (Motu Economic and Public Policy Research)

  • Gaetan de Rassenfosse

    (Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne)

Abstract

This study introduces in-text patent-to-patent citations—references embedded in the body of patent documents—as a novel data source to trace knowledge flows. Unlike front-page citations, which often reflect legal requirements, in-text citations are more likely to originate from inventors and signal meaningful technological linkages. We show that they exhibit stronger geographic and semantic proximity, greater self-referentiality, and closer alignment with inventor knowledge. Though less frequent than front-page citations, they yield robust results in models of knowledge diffusion. We release a validated dataset and reproducible code to support future research. Our findings offer new opportunities for strategy scholars interested in the microfoundations of innovation, the geography of knowledge flows, and the role of inventors in shaping firms’ knowledge trajectories.

Suggested Citation

  • Cyril Verluise & Gabriele Cristelli & Kyle Higham & Gaetan de Rassenfosse, 2025. "Beyond the front page: In-text citations to patents as traces of inventor knowledge," Working Papers 30, Chair of Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:iip:wpaper:30
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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