The nature of innovative activity and the protection of intellectual property: a post TRIPS perspective from Asia

Kamal Saggi () and Difei Geng

No 14-00003, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers from Vanderbilt University Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper examines trends in innovative activity in several major Asian countries during 1997-2011 as measured by their filings and grants of various types of intellectual property (IP). By almost all measures, there has been a remarkable increase in innovative activity in China. In fact, in 2011 China accounted for roughly 25% of global patent applications. However, several indirect measures suggest that the quality of this newly created Chinese IP is not (yet) world class. For example, relative to residents of other major Asian countries and the United States, Chinese residents tend to file IP applications in foreign markets at a much lower rate. Similarly, the ratio of royalty payments earned by Chinese residents to the number of patents granted to them is fairly low by international standards. Finally, the ratio of patent to utility model applications (typically granted for relatively minor innovations) in China is also relatively small.

Keywords: innovation; protection of intellectual property; patents; trademarks; industrial designs; TRIPS; Asia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O3 O5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-05-27
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ino, nep-ipr, nep-pr~, nep-knm and nep-sea
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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