In the 1990s, patenting schemes changed in many respects: Upcoming new technologies accelerated the shift from price competition towards competition based on technical inventions, a worldwide surge in patenting took place, and the 'patent thicket' arose as a consequence of strategic patenting....

The quality of academic research and research undertaken at public laboratories is an important determinant of successful technology transfer. Corporate innovativeness may benefit considerably from scientific discoveries at universities or public laboratories and from the availability of locally...