This Paper presents a model of innovations and economic growth, in which patent rates emerge endogenously, as a result of two assumptions: first, R&D is innovation-specific, second, marginal cost of innovation is increasing. The Paper then examines the effects of patent races on growth, welfare,...

The choice of a research path in attacking scientific and technological problems is a significant component of firms' R&D strategy. One of the findings of the patent races literature is that, in a competitive market setting, firms' noncooperative choices of research projects display an excessive...

Patents act as an incentive to innovate. However, as this paper argues, patents can discourage some innovators from innovating, reducing knowledge spillovers. The combined result of the above suggests a concave relationship between patent protection and output growth.

Patents act as an incentive to innovate. However, as this paper argues, patents can lead the patent holder to rest on his laurels and at the same time discourage some innovators from innovating, reducing knowledge spillovers. The combined result of the above suggests an inverse U relationship...

The theoretical discussion concerning the question whether the incumbent or the (potential) entrant invests more into R&D has attracted considerable interest. This paper reports the results of an empirical study on this question using data of about 3500 German firms over the years 1992 to 1995....