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Knowledge Sharing among Inventors: Some Historical Perspectives

Author

Listed:
  • James Bessen
  • Alessandro Nuvolari
Abstract
This chapter documents instances from past centuries where inventors freely shared knowledge of their innovations with other inventors. It is widely believed that such knowledge sharing is largely a recent development, as in open source software. Our survey shows, instead, that innovators have long practiced "collective invention", including in such key technologies as steam engines, iron and steel production and textile machinery. Generally, innovators? behavior was substantially richer than the heroic portrayal often found in textbooks and museums. Knowledge sharing sometimes coexisted with patenting, at other times, not, suggesting the importance of public policy that accommodates knowledge sharing to foster cumulative innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • James Bessen & Alessandro Nuvolari, 2011. "Knowledge Sharing among Inventors: Some Historical Perspectives," LEM Papers Series 2011/21, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2011/21
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    File URL: http://www.lem.sssup.it/WPLem/files/2011-21.pdf
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    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. “Diffusing New Technology Without Dissipating Rents: Some Historical Case Studies of Knowledge Sharing,” J. Bessen & A. Nuvolari (2012)
      by afinetheorem in A Fine Theorem on 2012-12-18 16:30:23

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    Cited by:

    1. Deirdre McCloskey, 2015. "It was ideas and ideologies, not interests or institutions, which changed in Northwestern Europe, 1600–1848," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 57-68, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    technological change; knowledge sharing; collective invention; patents;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N70 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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