Skip to main content
Log in

Tracing technological change over long periods in Germany in chemicals using patent statistics

  • Published:
Scientometrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This contribution deepens the feasibility issues of building state-of-the-art patent indicators with historical patent documents available in electronic form from the German Patent Office since the introduction of the Patent Law for the German Empire in 1877. The paper is divided into two parts: a methodological discussion and a case study on the chemical sector in Germany. The development of the technology sector defined matches remarkably well with stylised facts that institutional analysis in the chemical sector have provided us with so far. Moreover, the possibility of varying the level of aggregation in the analysis of technological areas discloses empirical evidence for the path-dependent development in the chemical sector after the advent of the organic chemistry and its application in the chemical synthesis of dye stuffs. Our findings enhance institutional and historical contributions about technological change in the chemical sector and suggest new research questions for innovation studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ANDERSEN, B. (1998), The evolution of technological trajectories 1890-1990, Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 9, pp. 5-34.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • ANDERSEN, B. (1999), The complexity of technology dynamics: Mapping stylised facts in post-schumpeterian approaches with evidence from patenting in chemicals 1890-1990, In: Perspectives on Complexity in Economics. F. LOUCA (Ed.), UECE Press (ISEG), pp. 111-142.

  • ARORA, A., LANDAU, R., ROSENBERG, N. (Eds) (1998), Chemicals and Long Term Economic Growth-Insights from the chemical industry. New York, John Wiley and Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • BANNOCK, G., BAXTER, R. E., DAVIS, E. (1998), Dictionary of Economics. London, Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRUNCK, H. (1900), Die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Indigofabrikation, Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellshaft, 33.

  • BULL, A. T., HOLT, G., LILLY, M. D. (1982), Biotechnology. International Trends and Perspectives, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Paris, OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • DAVID, P. A. (1985), Clio and the economics of QWERTY, American Economic Review, 75: 332-337.

    Google Scholar 

  • DELORME, J. (1962), Anthologie des Brevets sur le Matière Plastique, Vol. 1-3, Amphore.

  • DPMA (1993), Aktenzeichenstrukturen der verschiedenen Schutzrechtsarten des Deutschen Patentamtes von 1877 bis zum Jahre 2000, Broschüre für Benutzerinformationen der Informationsdienste des Deutschen Patent-und Markenamtes, 71, December.

  • DPMA (1995), Neue Aktenzeichensystematik des Deutschen Patenamtes, Broschüre für Benutzer-informationen der Informationsdienste des Deutschen Patent-und Markenamtes, 46, January.

  • FEDERICO, P. J. (1964), Historical patent statistics, 1791-1961, Journal of the Patent Office Society, 64 (2): 89-171.

    Google Scholar 

  • FREEMAN, C., SOETE, L. (1997), The Economics of Industrial Innovation. London, Pinter.

    Google Scholar 

  • GRILICHES, Z. (1990), Patent statistics as economic indicators, Journal of Economic Literature, 28: 1661-1707.

    Google Scholar 

  • GRUPP, H. (1998), The Foundations of the Economics of Innovation. Cheltenham, Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • GRUPP, H., DOMINGUEZ-LACASA, I., FRIEDRICH-NISHIO, M. (2002), Das deutsche Innovationssystem seit der Reichsgründung. Indikatoren einer nationalen Wissenschafts-und Technikgeschichte in unter-schiedlichen Regierungs-und Gebietsstrukturen. Heidelberg, Physica-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • HABER, L. F. (1971), The Chemical Industry 1900-1930. International Growth and Technological Change. Oxford, Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • HALLMANN, U. C., STRöBELE, P. (1977), Das Patentamt von 1877 bis 1977, in Hundert Jahre Patentamt, DEUTSCHES PATENTAMT (Ed.), München, Carl Heymanns Verlag, pp. 402-441.

    Google Scholar 

  • HUGHES, T. P. (1975), Das "technologische Momentum". in der Geschichte zur Entwicklung des Hydrierverfahrens in Deutschland 1893-1933, In: HAUSEN, K., RüRUP, R. (Eds), Moderne Technikgeschichte, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, pp. 358-383.

  • JUNGMITTAG, A., REGER, G., REISS, T. (Eds) (2000), Changing Innovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • LANDES, D. S. (1969), The Unbound Prometheus. New York, NY, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • MARSCHALL, L. (1999), Industrielle Biotechnologie im 20. Jahrhundert-Technologische Alternative der Nischentechnologie?, Technikgeschichte, 66: 277-293.

    Google Scholar 

  • MARSCHALL, L. (2000), Im Schatten der chemischen Synthese-Industrielle Biotechnologie in Deutschland (1900-1970). Frankfurt/New York, Campus.

    Google Scholar 

  • MAYER-THUROW, G. (1982), The Industrialization of Invention: A Case Study from the German Chemical Industry, ISIS, 73: 363-381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MURMANN, J. P., LANDAU, R. (1998), On the Making of Competitive Advantage: The Development of the Chemical Industries in Britain and Germany Since 1859, In: ARORA, A. LANDAU, R., ROSENBERG, N. (Eds), Chemicals and Long Term Economic Growth-Insights from the Chemical Industry. New York, John Wiley and Sons, pp. 27-70.

    Google Scholar 

  • RAMPELMANN, J. (1998), Classification and the Future of the IPC-The EPO View, Advanced Seminar on the International Patent Classification (IPC), IPC/SEM/98/6.

  • REISS, T., HINZE, S. (2000), Innovation process and techno-scientific dynamics, In: JUNGMITTAG; A., REGER, G., REISS, T. (Eds), Changing Innovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Heidelberg, Berlin, Springer, pp. 53-69.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHMAUDERER, E. (1976), Die Stellung des Wissenschaftlers zwischen chemischer Forschung und chemischer Industrie, In: TREUE, W., MANUEL, K. (Eds), Naturwissenschaft, Technik und Wirtschaft im 19. Jh., Bd 1 and 2. Göttingen, Vandenoek & Ruprecht, pp. 614-653.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHMOCH, U. (1990), Wettbewerbvorsprung durch Patent Information. Handbuch für die Recherchenpraxis. Köln, Verlag TÑV Rheinland GmbH.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHUMMER, J. (1997): Scientometric studies on chemistry I: The exponential growth of chemical substances, 1800-1995. Scientometrics, 39: 107-123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TREUE, W., MANUEL, K. (Eds) (1976), Naturwissenschaft, Technik und Wirtschaft im 19. Jh, Bd 1 u. 2. Göttingen, Vandenoek & Ruprecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • WITTMANN, A. (1992), "Grundlagen der Patentinformation und Patentdokumentation. Berlin; Offenbach, vde-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • ZIMMERMAN, P. A. (1974), Chemie-Politik-Fortschritt: Notizen zur Entwicklung eines Industriezweiges im Europa des 19. Jahrhunderts. Technikgeschichte, 41: 53-67.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Icíar Dominguez Lacasa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lacasa, I.D., Grupp, H. & Schmoch, U. Tracing technological change over long periods in Germany in chemicals using patent statistics. Scientometrics 57, 175–195 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024133517484

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024133517484

Keywords

Navigation