Patent data - Knowledge diffusion and technological change

Citations of other patents or the non-patent literature (notably scientific publications) are useful in quantifying knowledge transfers across organisations (e.g. compa y to comp ny or university to industr ), eographical regions or technolo y fields, as well as capturing knowledge spillo r from specific inv nting entities (e.g. multinational to omestic firms or from public res arch centres to industry). Patents are a reliable and direct measure of knowledge transfer ecau e they provide a detailed description of how the inventions have be n made an the prior art. P tent citations point to the use of previous inventions in new inventions, which m kes it possible to identify the influence of particular inventions or specific s ts of inventions and map their diffusion in the economy. Yet patent and no -patent citations are in ome cases a “noisy signal” of knowledge flows.