IPRs and Norwegian enterprises: diversification of innovative efforts in Norwegian firms

This chapter examines the generation of technological and commercialvariety in the Norwegian economy using the complementary lenses ofdomestic trademark and patent data. Trademarks, which are increasinglyused to understand economic activity, are useful in distinguishing productsand services from rivals. They can be linked to the differentiation of commercialactivity with an assumed innovative character. Patents on the otherhand capture technologically innovative activity with an assumed commercialapplication. They can be linked to innovation, especially in R&Dintensive fields such as pharmaceuticals.Patent and trademark registration each reveal something about theongoing differentiation of economic activity: the former emphasizes invention,the latter commercialization; the former rends to emphasize activityin manufacture, the latter activity in the service sector. There is therefore asignificant degree of complementarity in these lenses.This chapter uses thecombination to explore the heterogeneity that underlies longer termNorwegian industrial evolution. It first looks at the role of heterogeneity interms of industrial change, in firm-levelactivities, and the role of the IPRsystems. It then goes on to look at firm-leveldata illustrating how differentNorwegian firms use the two systems.