How patent rights affect university science
Industrial and Corporate Change, 2022
Laurent R. Bergé, Thorsten Doherr and Katrin Hussinger
How do intellectual property rights influence academic science? We investigate the consequences of the introduction of software patents in the U.S. on the publications of university researchers in the field of computer science.
Difference-in-difference estimations reveal that software scientists at U.S. universities produced fewer publications (both in terms of quantity and quality) than their European counterparts after patent rights for software inventions were introduced.
We then introduce a theoretical model that accounts for substitution and complementarity between patenting and publishing as well as for the direction of research. In line with the model’s prediction, further results show that the decrease in publications is largest for scientists at the bottom of the ability distribution. Further, we evidence a change in the direction of research following the reform towards more applied research.
Suggested Bibtex entry
@Article{berge_2022_patent,
author = {Laurent R Berg\'e and Thorsten Doherr and Katrin Hussinger},
journal = {Industrial and Corporate Change},
title = {How patent rights affect university science},
year = {2022},
note = {,\ dtac044},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dtac044},
}
Anecdote
My first time. I like this paper: lot of data work, small funny toy model which happens to be estimable, nice historical setup. Of course it has weaknesses but I really liked it and believed in it.
This led us to go for the big journals. For me it was the very first time trying so high (hey, please remember that I don't come from a top school!). Of course we've got only rejections but... they didn't disappoint! The reviews we received were of very high quality and extremely thoughtful. In the process, all referees brought useful comments to the table. So dear Referee, if you read these lines: Thank you!