A Study of Patent Thickets

81 Pages Posted: 19 Jul 2014

See all articles by Bronwyn H. Hall

Bronwyn H. Hall

University of California at Berkeley; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS); Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Christian Helmers

Santa Clara University - Department of Economics

Georg von Graevenitz

Queen Mary, School of Business and Management; Center for Competition Policy; University of Glasgow - CREATe, RCUK Centre for Copyright and New Business Models in the Creative Economy

Chiara Rosazza Bondibene

University of London - School of Economics & Finance

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: July 18, 2014

Abstract

This report analyses whether entry of UK enterprises into patenting in a technology area is affected by patent thickets in the technology area.

The aim is to contribute to our understanding of the role of patent thickets as a barrier to entry into new technologies for UK enterprises, in particular small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The report consists of several parts:

1) A review of the literature on patent thickets, including the limited empirical evidence regarding effects of patent thickets on R&D investments and competition;

2) Discussion of the factors contributing to thicket formation and growth;

3) An empirical evaluation of the extent to which patent thickets appear to be barriers to entry in some technology areas.

Keywords: Patents, thickets

Suggested Citation

Hall, Bronwyn H. and Helmers, Christian and von Graevenitz, Georg and Bondibene, Chiara Rosazza, A Study of Patent Thickets (July 18, 2014). Intellectual Property Office Research Paper No. 2, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2467992 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2467992

Bronwyn H. Hall (Contact Author)

University of California at Berkeley ( email )

549 Evans Hall #3880
Berkeley, CA 94720-3880
United States

HOME PAGE: http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/bhhall/index.html

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)

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Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

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Germany

Christian Helmers

Santa Clara University - Department of Economics ( email )

500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053
United States

Georg Von Graevenitz

Queen Mary, School of Business and Management ( email )

Mile End
London, E1 4NS
United Kingdom

Center for Competition Policy ( email )

UEA
Norwich Research Park
Norwich, Norfolk NR47TJ
United Kingdom

University of Glasgow - CREATe, RCUK Centre for Copyright and New Business Models in the Creative Economy ( email )

10 The Square, Glasgow University
Glasgow, G12 8QQ
United Kingdom

Chiara Rosazza Bondibene

University of London - School of Economics & Finance ( email )

Mile End Road
London, SE9 2ZP
United Kingdom

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