Abstract

Scholars have studied how exogenous shocks affect innovation, yet the effects of COVID-19 on one measure of innovative activity, numbers of patent applications, are not well understood. This study looks at what effect disruptions related to COVID-19 have had on numbers of patent applications submitted by inventors in the United States. Using the Patent Examination Research Dataset from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, I examine how numbers of patent applications have changed in 2020 and what effect economic disruptions, health disruptions, and nonpharmaceutical interventions related to COVID-19 have had on numbers of patent applications submitted among US states. Descriptive analysis shows that patent applications for large firms, small firms, and independent inventors have dropped from 2019 to 2020, yet small firms had the smallest decrease. Statistical models indicate that percent change in GDP is positively associated with patents applications per capita while COVID cases, COVID deaths, and nonpharmaceutical interventions have no little to no association with patent applications per capita.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Sociology

Rights

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