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Does the Protection of Foreign Intellectual Property Rights Stimulate Innovation in the US?

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  • Larry D. Qiu
  • Huayang Yu

Abstract

Although standard theories suggest that patent protection helps stimulate innovative activities, some new theories argue the opposite. Empirical studies do not generate conclusive results either. This paper investigates empirically the impacts of foreign patent reforms on innovation in the US, using data on successful patent applications in the US over 33 years and major IPR reforms in 21 countries, in addition to the patent reforms in the US and the TRIPS Agreement of the WTO. We find that the TRIPS Agreement has had significant impacts on innovation in the US, which highlights the importance of international cooperation in patent protection. However, the effects of strengthening patent protection by individual countries are not statistically significant. This result seems to imply that the US market is already sufficiently large/profitable to provide innovation incentives in the US and therefore further strengthening foreign patent protection simply increases the US innovators' rent, but not their innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Larry D. Qiu & Huayang Yu, 2010. "Does the Protection of Foreign Intellectual Property Rights Stimulate Innovation in the US?," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(5), pages 882-895, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:18:y:2010:i:5:p:882-895
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9396.2010.00914.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Joel Blit & Mauricio Zelaya, 2015. "Do Firms Respond to Stronger Patent Protection by Doing More R&D?," Working Papers 1501, University of Waterloo, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2015.
    2. Joel Blit & Mauricio Zelaya, "undated". "The impact of patent protection on R&D. Evidence using export markets," Working Papers 17010, University of Waterloo, Department of Economics.
    3. Sharma, Abhijit & Sousa, Cristina & Woodward, Richard, 2022. "Determinants of innovation outcomes: The role of institutional quality," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    4. Brander, James A. & Spencer, Barbara J., 2023. "Intellectual property infringement by foreign firms: Import protection through the ITC or court," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    5. Yi Qu & Yingqi Wei & Tao Jiang & Nan Zheng, 2017. "Linking R&D strategy, national innovation system and FDI to firm performance," Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 41-58, January.
    6. Daniel Nepelski & Giuditta De Prato, 2012. "Does the Patent Cooperation Treaty work? A global analysis of patent applications by non-residents," JRC Research Reports JRC79541, Joint Research Centre, revised Nov 2012.
    7. José Fernández Donoso, 2015. "Foreign IPR, Trade and Innovation: Does complexity matter?," Serie Working Papers 23, Universidad del Desarrollo, School of Business and Economics.

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