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Opening the Black Box

Analytical Approaches and their Impact on the Outcome of Statistical Patent Analyses

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Handbook of Quantitative Science and Technology Research

Abstract

The paper presents methodological approaches to statistical patent analyses. The references to timescales, countries of origin, and patent offices largely determine the outcome of such analyses; in particular, for country comparisons. For instance, considerable differences appear if results are compared based on priority, application, or grant years. For interpreting the patent figures at specific offices it proves important to consider the geostrategic position of the office. Advanced approaches such as the triad concept lead to more balanced results, but their assessment has to include a consideration of international patent flows. For quality indicators it has to be taken into account that patents are always two-dimensional and have technical and economic aspects. In principle early quality indicators primarily cover the technological content. A further issue is the definition of samples aiming at a large number of suitable documents which is sometimes contradictory to the target of completeness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Sybille Hinze & Ulrich Schmoch

Authors
  1. Sybille Hinze
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  2. Ulrich Schmoch
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Science and Technology Studies, University of Leiden, The Netherlands

    Henk F. Moed

  2. Steunpunt O&O Statistieken, K.U. Leuven, Belgium

    Wolfgang Glänzel

  3. Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Ulrich Schmoch

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© 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Hinze, S., Schmoch, U. (2004). Opening the Black Box. In: Moed, H.F., Glänzel, W., Schmoch, U. (eds) Handbook of Quantitative Science and Technology Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2755-9_10

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