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Inventor Mobility and Knowledge Transmission in Nanotechnology

Author

Listed:
  • Jinyoung Kim

    (Korea University)

  • Sangjoon John Lee

    (Alfred University)

  • Gerald Marschke

    (University at Albany-SUNY, NBER and IZA)

Abstract

Using U.S. patent records in nanotechnoloy, we study the relationship between inventor mobility among firms and knowledge diffusion. We find evidence consistent with a story that, in one important nanotechnology subfield, when inventors move among firms they spread knowledge. In particular, we find that if we consider any two patents in the "Chemicals, misc." subclass, A and B, where A and B are assigned to different firms and where A is granted after B, patent A is more likely to cite patent B if the patent A firm employs an inventor who earlier worked for the patent B firm.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinyoung Kim & Sangjoon John Lee & Gerald Marschke, 2010. "Inventor Mobility and Knowledge Transmission in Nanotechnology," Discussion Paper Series 1004, Institute of Economic Research, Korea University.
    • Handle: RePEc:iek:wpaper:1004
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    File URL: http://econ.korea.ac.kr/~ri/WorkingPapers/w1004.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Nanotechnology; Patents; Innovations; Knowledge spillovers;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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