Linking Chinese Census Firms to Patent Databases : A New Methodology

In this study, we address the challenges in linking the Annual Survey of Industrial Enterprise (ASIE) data with patent data for micro-level empirical research in the Chinese manufacturing industry. We identify limitations in the existing longitudinal linkage methods within the ASIE and propose a methodology that combines fuzzy matching algorithms, supplementary ancillary information, web scraping, and external databases to enhance the linkage within the ASIE data and between ASIE and patent data. The linked patents filed in the China National Intellectual Property Administration provide a more comprehensive view of research and development activities in Chinese industrial firms, and the parsed-out citations can inspire further research in this area. The linkage methodology and cumulated firm identity data also facilitate future linkage processes between ASIE and other micro-level databases