This course explores the economic rationale, functioning, and implications of intellectual property rights (IPRs), with a particular focus on patents. It examines how IPRs affect innovation, competition, and market structure, as well as their role in shaping firms’ R&D strategies and technology diffusion. Students will learn the main theoretical models explaining the incentives to innovate under different IPR regimes, and analyze empirical evidence on the effectiveness and unintended consequences of IPR policies. The course also discusses contemporary issues such as patent thickets, standard-essential patents (SEPs), non-practicing entities (NPEs), and the global governance of IPRs.
Course Prerequisites
None; However, some microeconomics and basic econometrics would help.
Teaching Methods
The course will combine frontal teaching and students’ discussion of readings.
Assessment Methods
Students will be assessed both on the basis of their active participation in classroom activities (20% of the final mark) and on the basis of multiple-choice questions (80% of the final mark). Non-attending students will be assessed solely on the basis of a written examination (four open-ended questions).
Contents
The main topics of the course are: 1. Basic notions of IPRs 2. Filing and patent strategies 3. Patent processing 4. Historical overview and current debate 5. Patent litigation 6. Evidence on use and effectiveness 7. Recent trends 8. The problems with patents: a. Patent quality b. Patent continuation and sleeping patents c. Patent notice failure d. The economics of patent assertion
More information
• All reading materials will be provided the first day of the course. Students can read in advance the following papers: o Guellec, D., and B. Van Pottelsberghe (2007) The economics of the European patent system: IP policy for innovation and competition. Oxford University Press o Scotchmer S. (2004) Innovation and Incentives, MIT Press (Chapters 1-5 Only)
