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The innovation consequences of mandatory patent disclosures

Jinhwan Kim and Kristen Valentine

Journal of Accounting and Economics, 2021, vol. 71, issue 2

Abstract: We investigate the effect of patent disclosures on corporate innovation. Using the American Inventor's Protection Act (AIPA) as a shock that increased patent disclosures, we find an increase in innovation for firms whose rivals reveal more information after the AIPA and a decrease in innovation for firms whose own disclosures are divulged to competitors as a result of the law. These findings suggest patent disclosures generate both spillover benefits and proprietary costs. Our findings provide justification for patent disclosure requirements by demonstrating positive externalities: rivals' disclosures facilitate a firm's innovation. However, we also highlight that mandatory patent disclosures can impose proprietary costs on firms. These results broadly contribute to our understanding of the real effects of disclosure, such that forcing firms to share proprietary information can be privately costly but beneficial to other firms.

Keywords: Patent disclosure; Innovation; Spillovers; Proprietary costs; Corporate disclosure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D23 G38 M40 M41 O30 O31 O32 O34 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jaecon:v:71:y:2021:i:2:s0165410120300835

DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2020.101381

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Journal of Accounting and Economics is currently edited by J. L. Zimmerman, S. P. Kothari, T. Z. Lys and R. L. Watts

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