Patent Citation Data in Social Science Research: Overview and Best Practices

Adam Jaffe and Gaétan de Rassenfosse

No 21868, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of patent citation data in social science research. Facilitated by digitization of the patent data and increasing computing power, a community of practice has grown up that has developed methods for using these data to: measure attributes of innovations such as impact and originality; to trace flows of knowledge across individuals, institutions and regions; and to map innovation networks. The objective of this paper is threefold. First, it takes stock of these main uses. Second, it discusses four pitfalls associated with patent citation data, related to office, time and technology, examiner, and strategic effects. Third, it highlights gaps in our understanding and offers directions for future research.

JEL-codes: O31 O32 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his, nep-ino, nep-ipr, nep-pr~ and nep-tid
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

Published as Adam B. Jaffe & Gaétan de Rassenfosse, 2017. "Patent citation data in social science research: Overview and best practices," Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, vol 68(6), pages 1360-1374.

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