Technology Entry in the Presence of Patent Thickets
We analyze the effect of patent thickets on entry into technology areas by firms in the UK. We present a model that describes incentives to enter technology areas characterized by varying technological opportunity, complexity, and the potential for hold-up due to the presence of patent thickets. We show empirically that our measure of patent thickets is associated with a reduction of first time patenting in a given technology area controlling for the level of technological complexity and opportunity. Technological areas characterized by more technological complexity and opportunity, in contrast, see more entry. Our evidence indicates that patent thickets raise entry costs, which leads to less entry into technologies regardless of a firm’s size.
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Copy CitationBronwyn H. Hall, Christian Helmers, and Georg von Graevenitz, "Technology Entry in the Presence of Patent Thickets," NBER Working Paper 21455 (2015), https://doi.org/10.3386/w21455.Download Citation
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Published Versions
Bronwyn H Hall & Georg von Graevenitz & Christian Helmers, 2021. "Technology Entry in the Presence of Patent Thickets," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 73(2), pages 953-953. citation courtesy of 
Bronwyn H Hall & Georg von Graevenitz & Christian Helmers, 2021. "Technology entry in the presence of patent thickets [Our divided patent system?]," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 73(2), pages 903-926. citation courtesy of
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