Spillover Effects of Intellectual Property Protection in the Interwar Aircraft Industry

W Hanlon and Taylor Jaworski

No 26490, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Can strengthening intellectual property (IP) protection for producers of one good affect innovation in other related goods? To answer this question, we exploit a unique policy experiment in the interwar military aircraft industry. Airframe designs had little IP protection before 1926, but changes passed by Congress in 1926 provided airframe manufacturers with enhanced property rights over new designs. We show that granting property rights to air-frame producers increased innovation in airframes, but slowed innovation in aero-engines, a complementary good where there was no change in the availability of IP protection. We propose and test a simple theory that explains these patterns.

JEL-codes: N72 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-com, nep-his, nep-ipr and nep-ore
Note: DAE PR
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Published as Walker Hanlon & Taylor Jaworski, 2022. "Spillover Effects of Intellectual Property Protection in the Interwar Aircraft Industry," The Economic Journal, vol 132(645), pages 1824-1851.

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