Issue: Summer 1996
Pages: pp. 322-331
Authors: Suzanne Scotchmer
Title: Protecting Early Innovators: Should Second-Generation Products Be Patentable?
Abstract: Incentives to develop basic technologies are greater if the patentholder profits from applications or other second-generation products. Assuming that such products infringe the basic patent and that there is not much delay between the innovations, I argue that (i) patents on second-generation products are not necessary to encourage their development and (ii) the patentholder of the basic technology collects a larger share of the profit if applications or other second generation products are not patentable.
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Technological Change
Research and Development: General (6210)
Technological Change and Innovation (6211)