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Inventive productivity and patent quality: Evidence from Italian inventors

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  • Schettino, Francesco
  • Sterlacchini, Alessandro
  • Venturini, Francesco

Abstract

This paper examines the inventive performances of a regional set of Italian inventors. After stressing that the distribution of the inventors’ productivity is extremely skewed, we find that patent productivity is not influenced by individual characteristics, but it is higher for the inventors working in teams or in large firms with greater patent portfolios. Instead, patent quality is associated with some individual features such as age, gender and level of education. Accordingly, patented innovations coming from inventors working in small firms or independently can be as valuable as those generated in large companies. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Schettino, Francesco & Sterlacchini, Alessandro & Venturini, Francesco, 2013. "Inventive productivity and patent quality: Evidence from Italian inventors," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 1043-1056.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jpolmo:v:35:y:2013:i:6:p:1043-1056
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2013.02.008
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inventors; Inventive productivity; Patent quality; Patent policy;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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