Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP18036
Authors: Ufuk Akcigit; Nathan Goldschlag
Abstract: Innovation is a key driver of long run economic growth. Studying innovation requires a clear view of the characteristics and behavior of the individuals that create new ideas. A general lack of rich, large-scale data has constrained such analyses. We address this by introducing a new dataset linking patent inventors to survey, census, and administrative microdata at the U.S. Census Bureau. We use this data to provide a first look at the demographic characteristics, employer characteristics, earnings, and employment dynamics of inventors. These linkages, which will be available to researchers with approved access, dramatically increases the scope of what can be learned about inventors and innovative activity.
Keywords: inventors; innovation; R&D; firms; dynamism; reallocation
JEL Codes: O3; O4
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| females underrepresented among inventors (J16) | share of female inventors over time (J16) |
| immigration policies (K37) | demographics of innovative activity in the US (R23) |
| age and size of firms (L25) | productivity and nature of innovations produced (O36) |
| higher earnings (J31) | greater innovative output (O36) |
| decline in entrepreneurial activity among inventors (O31) | overall dynamism of the labor market and innovative activity (J69) |