Does Environmental Economics lead to patentable research?

TL;DR

This study investigates whether environmental economics research influences technological innovation by analyzing citation patterns of academic journals in patents over three decades.

Contribution

It provides an initial exploration of the connection between social sciences research and patentable technological progress through citation analysis.

Findings

Limited number of environmental economics journals cited in patents

Citations span over three decades, indicating ongoing influence

Potential for further research on social sciences' impact on innovation

Abstract

In this feasibility study, the impact of academic research from social sciences and humanities on technological innovation is explored through a study of citations patterns of journal articles in patents. Specifically we focus on citations of journals from the field of environmental economics in patents included in an American patent database (USPTO). Three decades of patents have led to a small set of journal articles (85) that are being cited from the field of environmental economics. While this route of measuring how academic research is validated through its role in stimulating technological progress may be rather limited (based on this first exploration), it may still point to a valuable and interesting topic for further research.