Systemic Patent Study on Technological Innovation in the EU Countries since 1980

Abstract

In recent years, it is not only an innovator (institution), who is important for technology innovation, but increasingly important have become the micro and macro environment, since technological innovation requires cooperation, supportive legal, political, managerial, economic, social or environmental factors. As analogies in Japan, the USA, India or China, also the European Community, has to respond adequately to this trend through supportive legislation, management, infrastructure and cooperation. This article has the key purpose to outline selected issues and challenges of technological innovation and management in the world, as input into the comprehensive analysis of technology patenting in the EU countries since 1980. As a basic research methodology we chose patent research and database analyses of the EPO and WIPO databases. We examined the granted patents in comparison with several additional indicators, such as, a number of inhabitants, national GDP, VC investment, or patent publications by technology. In this limited patent analysis, we tried to distinguish between developing and developed countries of the EU. The result of this research shows that there are significant differences between developed and developing countries of the EU, not only in terms of technological innovation and patent intensity, or commercialisation of innovation, but also related to the focus and management of the technology innovation.