The Role of Patents for Economic Growth at Macro and Micro Level

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to examine the extent to which patents have an impact on GDP and net profit. The object of the study are the changes in the GDP of two technologically highly developed countries – Japan and South Korea, and two technologically underdeveloped countries – Russia and Brazil, as well as the changes in the net profit of leading companies in these countries. The subject of the study is the comparison of the impact of patent activity through newly issued patents by the European Patent Office, and unemployment and foreign direct investment at the macroeconomic level and the share price, gross income and gross debt at the microeconomic level. Comparative analysis and least squares method have been used. It is expected that the role of patent activity will be stronger in the considered technologically highly developed countries and companies and correspondingly weaker in the considered technologically underdeveloped countries and companies.