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Demographic patterns and trends in patenting: Gender, age, and education of inventors

Jung, Taehyun and Ejermo, Olof LU (2014) In Technological Forecasting & Social Change 86. p.110-124
Abstract
Using population-wide data on inventors and their demographic characteristics, the paper analyzes trends and patterns by technologies in age, the level of education, and gender gap. We find that the education level of inventors has risen over time. We also find that the gender gap is closing but at slower pace than in other comparable areas of society. Much to our surprise, the average age of inventors has been falling in all areas, despite rising levels of education. To explain the latter finding, we suggest three mechanisms as alternatives to the burden of knowledge argument: 1) the burden of dynamic knowledge renewal, 2) new technological opportunities, and 3) a generally increased propensity to patent. We discuss policy and managerial... (More)
Using population-wide data on inventors and their demographic characteristics, the paper analyzes trends and patterns by technologies in age, the level of education, and gender gap. We find that the education level of inventors has risen over time. We also find that the gender gap is closing but at slower pace than in other comparable areas of society. Much to our surprise, the average age of inventors has been falling in all areas, despite rising levels of education. To explain the latter finding, we suggest three mechanisms as alternatives to the burden of knowledge argument: 1) the burden of dynamic knowledge renewal, 2) new technological opportunities, and 3) a generally increased propensity to patent. We discuss policy and managerial implications of our findings. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Inventor, Patent, Gender, Age, Education
in
Technological Forecasting & Social Change
volume
86
pages
110 - 124
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000338813400010
  • scopus:84902074641
ISSN
0040-1625
DOI
10.1016/j.techfore.2013.08.023
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
839c99e1-a6d9-43d9-83b7-7567fc035207 (old id 4601921)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:20:33
date last changed
2024-01-21 11:31:29
@article{839c99e1-a6d9-43d9-83b7-7567fc035207,
  abstract     = {{Using population-wide data on inventors and their demographic characteristics, the paper analyzes trends and patterns by technologies in age, the level of education, and gender gap. We find that the education level of inventors has risen over time. We also find that the gender gap is closing but at slower pace than in other comparable areas of society. Much to our surprise, the average age of inventors has been falling in all areas, despite rising levels of education. To explain the latter finding, we suggest three mechanisms as alternatives to the burden of knowledge argument: 1) the burden of dynamic knowledge renewal, 2) new technological opportunities, and 3) a generally increased propensity to patent. We discuss policy and managerial implications of our findings. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license}},
  author       = {{Jung, Taehyun and Ejermo, Olof}},
  issn         = {{0040-1625}},
  keywords     = {{Inventor; Patent; Gender; Age; Education}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{110--124}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Technological Forecasting & Social Change}},
  title        = {{Demographic patterns and trends in patenting: Gender, age, and education of inventors}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2013.08.023}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.techfore.2013.08.023}},
  volume       = {{86}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}