Are Trends in Patenting Reflective of Innovative Activity in Canada?

Jacob Greenspon & Erika Rodigues ()
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Jacob Greenspon

No 2017-02, CSLS Research Reports from Centre for the Study of Living Standards

Abstract: This report sheds light on trends in Canadian innovation as indicated through patenting. Central to these recent trends is an apparent paradox: the number of patents granted to Canadians, an output indicator of innovative activity, has increased substantially between 2000 and 2014 despite decreased business sector expenditures on research and development, a crucial input to innovation, in the same period. This report examines this issue an provides several potential explanations as to why this is the case, the strongest being that the divergence between trends in patenting and R&D expenditures is caused by greater efficiency of research processes and an increase in strategic filings of patents. Furthermore, this report documents recent trends in patenting activity in Canada from several sources and compares trends across different technologies. Patenting trends are also used to give a regional perspective on innovation by tracking the level of innovative activity occurring in provinces and census metropolitan areas.

Keywords: Patenting; Research and Development; Innovation; Trends; Technology; Measurement; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D70 O31 O32 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-ind, nep-ino, nep-ipr, nep-sbm and nep-tid
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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