Abstract
In the framework of the MONITOR-SPEAR programme of the Commission of the European Communities a critical review of the literature with regard to the utility of patent indicators being in use for evaluation world-wide has been undertaken. Availability, scope and complementarity of these indicators are discussed. A practical tool to use patent indicators for evaluation committees of EC programmes is designed and recommendations for EC procedures are given.
The suggested procedures will be implemented alongside three sample exercises. One of the exercise programmes is science-led (BEP and BAP), one industry-led (BRITE I) and one interphase (MHR). In this paper only selected examples with respect to the MHR programme are outlined and discussed.
The project is not completed yet and only preliminary findings will be given in this paper. From the viewpoint of its present state it is concluded that patent indicators may play a very useful role within a mixed set of evaluation procedures. The intersection with other methods is not very large, that is, patent indicators may provide supplementary information to a large extent. However, their use is limited to those types of programmes which are relevant for intellectual property rights mostly in the commercial realm. Patent indicators share with other evaluation tools the problem of best adjustment of time windows between observation and execution of the programme. Despite of these limitations, patent indicators may be employed properly as output indicators related to ongoing EC programmes, but as well for propective analysis of applied fields of R & D and may thus help in the definition phase of new R & D programmes.
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Note added in proofs: The investigation has been completed in April 1991 and is being published in two volumes by CEC:Schmoch, U., Grupp, H., Kuntze, U.,Patents as Indicators of the Utility of EC Research Programmes, Vol. 1: Presentation of Results, Vol. 2: Methodology, Tables, Figures, and Lists, Brussels, CEC, 1991.
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This work has been sponsored by the MONITOR programme of the Commission of the European Communities.
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Grupp, H., Schmoch, U. & Kuntze, U. Patents as potential indicators of the utility of EC research programmes. Scientometrics 21, 417–445 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093979
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02093979