The Role of Patents for Bridging the Science to Market Gap
41 Pages Posted: 22 Aug 2006
There are 2 versions of this paper
The Role of Patents for Bridging the Science to Market Gap
The Role of Patents for Bridging the Science to Market Gap
Date Written: March 2006
Abstract
This paper examines an ex-post rationale for the patenting of scientific discoveries. In this model, scientists do not know which firms can make use of their discoveries, and firms do not know which scientific discoveries might be useful to them. To bridge this gap, either or both sides need to engage in costly search activities. Patents determine the appropriability of scientific discoveries, which affects the scientists' and firms' willingness to engage in search. Patents increase (decrease) dissemination when the search intensity of firms is sufficiently inelastic (elastic), relative to that of scientists. The model also examines the role of universities. Patents facilitate the delegation of search activities to the universities' technology transfer offices, which enables efficient specialization. Rather than distracting scientists from doing research, patenting may be a complement to doing research.
Keywords: patents, intellectual property, search, diffusion
JEL Classification: O33, O34, M13
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Proofs and Prototypes for Sale: the Tale of University Licensing
-
Do Scientists Pay to Be Scientists?
By Scott Stern
-
Who is Selling the Ivory Tower? Sources of Growth in University Licensing
By Jerry G. Thursby and Marie C. Thursby
-
By Donald S. Siegel, David Waldman, ...
-
Putting Patents in Context: Exploring Knowledge Transfer from MIT
-
Intellectual Capital and the Firm: The Technology of Geographically Localized Knowledge Spillovers
By Lynne G. Zucker, Michael R. Darby, ...
-
By Scott Stern and Fiona Murray
-
Incentives and Invention in Universities
By Saul Lach and Mark A. Schankerman
-
Incentives and Invention in Universities
By Saul Lach and Mark A. Schankerman
-
Incentives and Invention in Universities
By Saul Lach and Mark A. Schankerman