Prolific inventors and their mobility: scale, impact and significance. What the literature tells us and some hypotheses

Abstract

In this paper we survey the literature dealing with the category of prolific inventor. We set out some elements regarding nature, scale, significance and impact of the mobility of this population of prolific inventors. In particular the paper suggests an analysis that measures the effects on mobility on individual inventive productivity and the value of invention. We call “prolificness” the capacity to accumulate knowledge and experience through mobility (that is to say through their capital of contacts and interactions).Prolific inventor ; patent ; mobility ; performance ; corporation ; research and development