The Transfer of Patents in Imperial Germany

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: University of Cologne
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC HISTORY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-0507
• DOI: 10.1017/S002205071000077X
• 发表日期: 2010
• 页码: 921-939
• 关键词: great inventors; INNOVATION; industries; MARKET; RIGHTS; TRADE; FIRMS

摘要

We describe the transfer of patents in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Germany using a new database containing information on 20,000 transactions. The number of transactions shows an upward trend, in total numbers and as a share of patents in force. About 8 percent of patents were transferred at least once during their existence. Many transactions involved the transfer of patents with an above-average quality from individual inventors to firms and to newly created firms. In addition, valuable patents were transferred between firms. About two-thirds of all transfers occurred during the first three years of a patents' existence.