Structure of university licensing networks

Abstract

We study the structure and evolution of networks of inventors involved in university licensing and patenting. In particular, we focus on networks of inventors that have successfully licensed a university patent (i.e., licensing networks), and investigate levels of their fragmentation, cliquishness, and whether they exhibit the small world phenomenon. We find that these licensing networks are more fragmented and cliquish than the networks of inventors engaged in all (not necessarily licensed) patents (i.e., patenting networks), and that they are not small worlds. Additionally, by comparing the created licensing networks to random subnetworks of the patenting networks, we find that concerns in regard to the potential effects of opportunistic behavior are, to some degree, justified. We detect an interesting collaboration behavior of inventors who license, which we designate as dualistic opportunistic behavior.