Innovation • Research and Development • Technological Change • Intellectual Property Rights

Innovation, R&D, technological change, and intellectual property (JEL O3) cover the economics of technology and innovation.

Scope

It includes R&D, the diffusion of technology, the economics of patents and IP, and innovation policy.

Sub-topics

• General
• Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
• Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
• Technological Change: Choices and Consequences • Diffusion Processes
• Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
• Social Innovation
• Open Innovation
• Government Policy
• Other

Core questions

• What drives innovation and technological change?
• How should intellectual property be designed?
• How does technology diffuse?

Key concepts

• Research and development
• Technological change
• Patents and IP
• Diffusion
• Innovation policy

Frequently asked questions

Why do patents exist?

To give innovators temporary monopoly rights that reward and incentivize costly R&D, balanced against restricted access.