1. Matching patents to firm accounting data for European countries Rachel Griffith Rupert Harrison Gareth Macartney 24 February 2006

2. Objectives  To match EPO patents to firm accounts data from Amadeus  This will allow us to:  Identify which patents are owned by the same firm  Use accounts data in conjunction with information from patents  Similar to the NBER patents project, but:  Across countries, so need country-specific information  Amadeus contains unconsolidated accounts data  EPO data differs from USPTO

3. Main Data Sources  EPO  February 2004 Espace Bulletin  Also: OECD Triadic patents, OECD citations database  Amadeus, 2004  Full accounts for preceding years on ‘live’ legal entities  Supplement with previous versions to capture dead firms  Unconsolidated for subsidiaries, consolidated at parent level  Information on ownership and industrial sector  Currently using 15 European countries

4. Main Data Sources

6. Matching Method  Country by country: take all EPO applicants with a given nationality  Automated Matching (in this order):  Standardised names Lucas Industries Public Limited Company to LUCASINDUSTRIESPLC  Previous (standardised) names At present for UK only  Stem names Lucas Industries Public Limited Company to LUCAS This can lead to multiple matches – come back to this later

7. Matching Method  Manual matching for biggest unmatched patenters  Match using substring searches, internet searches etc  Manual match codes 1.Definite match (enter BVD) 2.Probable match (enter BVD) 3.All candidates have same ultimate owner (enter BVD of UO) 4.Candidates may have different ultimate owners (don’t enter BVD) 5.No candidate matches  Non-corporate 10 definite; 11 maybe; 12 individual

8. Matching Results Unfiltered

13. Matching Details

15. Patent weighted match rate Unfiltered vs. filtered Unfiltered – all firms live in Amadeus 2004 Filtered – firms with one or more employee, plus dead firms since 1999

16. Errors and quality checking  Type I Error – failed to match Manual matching of biggest unmatched patenters. Manual checking of top R&D doers (from other data sources)? Use inventor information?  Type II Error – matched to wrong firm Check addresses match? Check patent not filed before firm was incorporated?  Duplicate matches – applicants matched to multiple firms Use address information to identify correct match? If same ultimate owner then assign to ultimate owner?

17. Outputs  Mimic NBER file structure as closely as possible  Applicant identifier; BVD number; match type  Auxiliary file with full names and matched name  Applicant identifier; EPO publication number  Link to other EPO and Amadeus files  Other potential structures?  Website with files and feedback process