Invention and Innovation Under Alternative Market Structures: The Case of Natural Resources

S-Tier
Journal: Review of Economic Studies
Year: 1982
Volume: 49
Issue: 4
Pages: 567-582

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper examines the interactions between market structure and resource allocation over time when there is endogenous technical progress. The structures considered are a planned economy, pure monopoly, and competition with patent rights. In an efficient allocation the date of invention coincides with the date of innovation (the date at which technology is used). This is also true with a pure monopoly, but monopoly retards technical progress relative to the efficient level. Competition for patents rights to a new technology results in excessively rapid technical progress if the resource endowment of the economy is sufficiently large. Also, competition may lead to "sleeping patents" where invention strictly precedes the date of innovation.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:oup:restud:v:49:y:1982:i:4:p:567-582.
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25