We present an endogenous growth model in which both the investment to develop a new technology-that upgrades the quality of machines-and entry of imitators are determined endogenously. According to the model, how soon the new-technology machine is launched after the patent is granted is...

The distinction between macro- and microinventions is at the core of recent debates on the Industrial Revolution. Yet, the empirical testing of this notion has remained elusive. We address this issue by introducing a new quality indicator for all patents granted in England in the period...

Did the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars contribute to the Industrial Revolution? Recent scholarship argues warfare was an important factor in explaining Britain's industrialisation, by encouraging the invention and diffusion of key technologies with military applications. I re-examine...