Intellectual Property and Economics
Intellectual property (IP) protection is an important component of national economic policies. Governments face complex choices on how to design an IP system that best serves their policy objectives, and how to respond to changes in technology and in business models that challenge the status quo.
WIPO seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the economic effects of different IP policy choices and to offer a first entry point for information on the economics of IP.
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Economic research portal
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Innovation Economics and Policy Design
How do government policies influence innovation and drive economic growth? Economic insights and empirical evidence reveal the dynamic effects of different policy choices, providing valuable guidance for policymakers aiming to foster sustainable innovation ecosystems and support long-term development.
Resources for Researchers
Find academic literature, data and tools in the field of the economics of innovation and intellectual property (IP).
Innovation economics themes
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Innovation Hotspots
Figuring out where innovators are and connecting them opens the gateway to a vibrant, global innovation ecosystem.
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Innovation Gender Gap
Studying the gender gap in the IP system is a step towards fostering a more inclusive innovation landscape.
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Innovating Towards Development
How can innovation improve social and economic performance of developing countries?
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Innovation Capabilities
Understanding innovation capabilities can guide policymakers to leverage each innovation ecosystem's unique potential.
Creative Economy Notes
This interactive series draws on original economic research to stimulate thinking on how the intellectual property framework can best serve the creative industries.
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Creative Industries Insights
This series explores the latest trends shaping the creative industries using novel data sources, cutting-edge analytics and visual storytelling.
Economic effects of innovation policies
Economics publications
How do government policies impact innovation? We distill the economic thinking on the topic and provide empirical evidence to help inform policymakers of the dynamic effects of the different policies on innovation and economic growth.
World Intellectual Property Report
WIPO’s flagship analytical publication that examines different themes of innovation. Published every two years.
Global Innovation Index
The Global Innovation Index (GII) provides detailed metrics about the innovation performance of more than 130 countries and economies around the world.
World Intangible Investment Highlights
Co-published by WIPO & Luiss Business School, the World Intangible Investment Highlights serve as the key reference publication for the latest statistics on global investment in intangible assets encapsulated in the Global INTAN-Invest Database.
WIPO economic research working papers
Economic research papers produced by the Department of Economics and Data Analytics.
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Intellectual Property, Innovation and Economic Development series
This series of scholarly research is published in collaboration with Cambridge University Press. Each book in the series examines a major aspect of the interface between IP, innovation and economic development.
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Innovation, IP and Development
Empirical economic studies examining the impact of IP on innovation and economic growth in less-developed economies.