Introduction to the special section on patent use

Abstract

Patents combine incentives for the production of technological knowledge (by granting temporary monopolies) with incentives for diffusion of that knowledge (usually through licensing). However, we know little about how patents are actually used, either strategically to block competitors or to facilitate trade in technology. Several developments suggest that the use of technology vested in patents has grown through the late 80s and 90s (Arora, Fosfuri and Gambardella, 2001, Gambardella et al 2007).