This study investigates whether standard patent measures for the importance and basicness of patents are able to distinguish between “wacky” patents and a control group of randomly drawn patents. Our findings show that forward citations are good predictors of importance. However, the...

This study investigates whether standard patent measures for the importance and basicness of patents are able to distinguish between, “wacky,” patents and a control group of randomly drawn patents. Our findings show that forward citations are good predictors of importance. However, the,...

The knowledge produced by academic scientists has been identified as a potential key driver of technological progress. Recent policies in Europe aim at increasing commercially orientated activities in academe. Based on a sample of German scientists across all fields of science we investigate the...