Valorization of research and technology and implications for economic activity

Anagnosti, Afroditi; Αναγνώστη, Αφροδίτη

Αξιοποίηση της έρευνας και της τεχνολογίας και οι επιπτώσεις στην οικονομική δραστηριότητα

Doctoral Thesis

Author

Anagnosti, Afroditi

Αναγνώστη, Αφροδίτη

Date

2025

Abstract

This dissertation explores how scientific knowledge is transformed into technological innovation and, ultimately, economic outcomes. It adopts the principle of relatedness framework, which suggests that diversification in technology, markets or trade is more likely when new activities are close to existing capabilities. Drawing on this theoretical framework, two of the three empirical studies of this dissertation examine how scientific specialization within universities influences their patenting activity and the role of innovation in export specialization. The third study explores the motivations and barriers associated with international patenting. The scope of each of the empirical studies is presented below. Together, the studies offer a multi-level, actor-centered view of how research is valorized. The first study investigates how scientific specialization within universities influences their patenting behavior. Using a unique dataset of publications and patent applications from over 100 US universities, between 2001 and 2015, the study demonstrates that universities are significantly more likely to file and successfully obtain patents in technological fields in which they have developed scientific expertise. The results imply that the proximity between scientific research and technological development enhances the intensity and success of patenting, particularly in fields with greater commercialization potential. The second study broadens the analysis to the national level. It examines how different types of innovation, technological (patents), market-related (trademarks), and design (industrial designs), contribute to the emergence of new export specializations. Using the principle of relatedness, the study examined 76 countries, between 2008 and 2022, finding that technological and market innovation capabilities were strong predictors of export diversification, whereas design innovation plays a limited role. These findings emphasize the distinct contributions of different types of innovation to trade performance and economic development. The third study investigates whether the motivations and challenges faced by inventors when registering patents internationally are the same or different depending on the patent office (European Patent Office (EPO), United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)) or the type of applicant. This study was conducted through a primary survey of 200 Greek inventors who had been granted at least one patent or international application by the EPO, USPTO or WIPO between 2017 and 2022. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression and exploratory factor analysis were employed to identify variations in motivations and challenges among the following four applicant categories: individual inventors; universities/research centers; Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs); and large firms. The results reveal significant heterogeneity in filing strategies, emphasizing the effect of financial and procedural obstacles, particularly on smaller, less formalized organizations. Together, the three studies provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between innovation capabilities and economic performance. They demonstrate that proximity, cognitive, technological or institutional, plays a fundamental role in shaping patenting outcomes, export trajectories and the strategic use of intellectual property. These findings have significant implications for universities, innovation policy and international patent governance, particularly with respect to promoting inclusive participation in global knowledge-based economies.

Department

Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

Number of pages

112

Language

English

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/18047

Collections

Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

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Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα