Balancing act: Navigating the tensions between patenting practices and open science in Chilean academic research

Abstract

This study aims to understand the relationship between academic patenting and secrecy in three key areas: the delay in publishing patentable results, the refusal of requests for research outcomes, and the perception of patent clarity drafting. Based on a dataset of Chilean university researchers, we conduct logistic regression models to understand the propensity to delay the publishing of patentable results, the probability of denying requests for research outcomes, and the likelihood of researchers perceiving their patents as clearly drafted. Controls used relate to the seniority of the researcher, the scientific field, whether the university is private or public, and whether the researcher previously worked with industry. Additionally, some constructs reflecting the researcher's perception regarding the patenting system within academic research were obtained through exploratory factor analysis and then incorporated as controls. The analysis reveals a positive correlation between prior patenting experience and publication delay. However, we found no correlation between previous patenting and the propensity to reject requests for research results. Both behaviors were negatively correlated to researcher seniority, gauged by the h-index, and positively correlated to forestry and agricultural technology sciences activity. Researchers who experienced denial of their requests were more likely to reciprocate refusal. Notably, a negative perception of the patent system within academic research was associated with a belief in drafting clearer patents. These findings suggest an environment of selective openness in academic networks, with researchers balancing full disclosure and secrecy. The paper studies three dimensions of secrecy in academic patenting through the novel data set. This study deepens our understanding of academic patenting practices, uncovering some complex dynamics shaping knowledge diffusion within universities.