Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP8338 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details   |   Bibliographic Reference

Full Details

Title: Patent Office Governance and Patent System Quality

Author(s): Pierre M Picard and Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie

Publication Date: April 2011

Keyword(s): intellectual property, Patent system, public firm organization and quality

Programme Area(s): Industrial Organization

Abstract: The present paper discusses the role of quality in patent systems from the perspective of patent offices' behavior and organization. After documenting original stylized facts, the paper presents a model in which patent offices set patent fees and the quality level of their examination processes. Various objectives of patent offices' governors are considered. We show that the quality of the patent system is maximal for the patent office that maximises either the social welfare or its own profit. Quality is lower for the self-funded patent office maximizing the number of patent applications and even smaller for the self-funded patent office maximizing the number of granted patents. A labor union improves examination quality and may compensate for the potentialy inappropriate objectives of patent office management.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=8338

Bibliographic Reference

Picard, P and van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, B. 2011. 'Patent Office Governance and Patent System Quality'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=8338