the negative disclosure effect may overcompensate the positive protective effect of a patent.In this case the inventor … prefers secrecy. Welfare considerations show that a patent may be socially desirable even though it delays the first adoption … of a new technology. -- patenting decision ; Secrecy ; disclosure requirement ; technology adoption ; patent height …

model provides an argument that shorter product cycles can induce firms to file more patent applications. The firms may be … trapped in a prisoners' dilemma where all firms would jointly prefer to patent less and to not have a patent thicket. If firms … successful, this may create a patent thicket. The transition into a situation where firms start patenting many ideas instead of …