Institutionalized Incentives for Ingenuity: Patent Value and the German Employees' Invention

Dietmar Harhoff, Karin Hoisl

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

Germany is one of few countries in which the monetary compensation for inventors is not only determined by negotiations between employer and employee-inventor, but also by relatively precise legal provisions. In this paper, we describe the characteristics of the German Employees’ Inventions Act (GEIA) and discuss which incentives it creates. We rely on responses from a recent survey of 3350 German inventors to test hypotheses regarding this institution. We conclude from our data that the law creates substantial monetary rewards for productive inventors. The qualitative responses from our survey confirm this view, but also point to a number of dysfunctional effects.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftResearch Policy
Vol/bind36
Udgave nummer8
Sider (fra-til)1143-1162
Antal sider19
ISSN0048-7333
DOI
StatusUdgivet - okt. 2007
Udgivet eksterntJa

Emneord

  • Employee-Inventor
  • Inventor Compensation
  • Patent Value
  • Productivity

Citationsformater