The origin of public research organisation patents:: an economic approach

While some studies on patenting by public research organisations (PROs) and universities together tend to be positive and descriptive, normative concerns have risen mainly on the side of university patenting. The specific dynamics of PROs allow them to make strategic considerations which are less present in universities but which may have an impact on patenting. However, PROs are often subject to similar requirements and legal frameworks to increase patenting, so the question of which factors have a determining influence becomes relevant. Without aiming to build a typology, we focus on large PROs that face singular decisions on the priority of scientific areas, decentralisation to regions and joint management of their research units and we take the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the largest PRO in Spain, as a case study.