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Intellectual property and fourth industrial revolution technologies: how the patent system is shaping the future in the data-driven economy

Author

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  • Armin Mertens

    (German Economic Institute (IW))

  • Marc Scheufen

    (German Economic Institute (IW))

Abstract

Using the classification system from the European Patent Office (EPO), we identify almost 600,000 patent applications for fourth industrial revolution technologies from 1986 to 2015. We contribute to the economic literature by seeking to answer two research questions: (1) What is the effect of legal breath (and other indicators) on the quality of innovations in the fourth industrial revolution, (2) How does the IP culture (utilitarism vs. natural law) explain these differences? We find that the legal breadth of a patent positively affects the quality of innovations in the fourth industrial revolution. Interestingly, this impact of legal breadth may be driven by historical path dependencies and ways in which the two philosophical schools (utilitarism vs. natural law) have shaped the patent system in Anglo-Saxon countries versus continental Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Armin Mertens & Marc Scheufen, 2024. "Intellectual property and fourth industrial revolution technologies: how the patent system is shaping the future in the data-driven economy," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 275-310, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ejlwec:v:57:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10657-023-09789-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10657-023-09789-2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Legal breadth; Patent scope; IP culture; Forward citations; Fourth industrial revolution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development

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