Academic Inventors, Scientific Impact and the Institutionalisation of Pasteur's Quadrant in Spain

Abstract

We rely on a novel database of Spanish author-inventors to explore the relationship between the past patenting experience of academic authors and the scientific impact (citations received and journal prestige) of scientific articles published during [2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008] in journals listed in SCOPUS. We also study how such a relationship is affected by differences across academic affiliations, distinguishing between public universities and different types of non-university public research organisations. Our econometric estimations show that scientific impact is positively associated with having authors with past patenting experience as inventors at the European Patent Office. Exceptions are the articles of authors affiliated to new independent public research centres, not tied to the civil service model and oriented to do research that is both excellent and use-inspired. These are also on average the most cited articles.

Economic crisis and company R&D in Spain: do regional and policy factors matter?

“…The dominant approach was based on classical academic research policies, and only the Basque Country had a policy mix oriented towards the application and exploitation of knowledge within firms. Differences are related to the ability of academics to interact with firms and to exploit academic patenting (Martínez, Azagra-Caro, and Maraut 2013).…”

Service response to economic decline: Innovation actions for achieving strategic renewal

“…Bozeman and colleagues have analyzed diversity among research centers (Bozeman 1987;Bozeman and Crow 1990;Crow and Bozeman 1998) to reveal that boundaries between public and private organizations are more permeable than before. New, mixed or independent public research centers have emerged that are not tied to the civil service model and are oriented to do research that is both excellent and use-inspired (Martinez et al, 2013).…”

The internationalisation of research institutes

“…IRI aim to produce knowledge products in Pasteur's quadrant (scientific excellence and potential for application). They will mainly publish in academic journals as well, but potentially produce relatively more of the other types of knowledge products (mainly patents) than PRC (Martinez et al 2013).…”