Are Patents with Female Inventors Under-Cited? Evidence from Text Estimation

97 Pages Posted: 21 Nov 2022 Last revised: 14 Aug 2023

See all articles by Yael V. Hochberg

Yael V. Hochberg

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

Ali Kakhbod

University of California, Berkeley

Peiyao Li

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business

Kunal Sachdeva

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: August 13, 2023

Abstract

Utilizing leading machine learning techniques to analyze the textual content and quality of patents, we demonstrate that patents with female lead inventors are under-cited relative to what would be expected had the lead inventor been male, with the effect amplified for significant (novel and impactful) patents. Male inventors are the greatest contributors to the undercitation of patents with female inventors, followed by female inventors and male examiners, while female patent examiners appear to be even-handed. Marketbased measures of patent value appear to recognize this undercitation of significant femaleinventor patents. The results have potential implications for research conclusions that rely on citation-based assessments of patent quality.

Keywords: C13 Innovation, Gender, Patent, Machine Learning, Big Data, Inference

JEL Classification: J16, J24, J71, O30, C13

Suggested Citation

Hochberg, Yael V. and Kakhbod, Ali and Li, Peiyao and Sachdeva, Kunal, Are Patents with Female Inventors Under-Cited? Evidence from Text Estimation (August 13, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4269703 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4269703

Yael V. Hochberg

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Rice University - Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business ( email )

6100 South Main Street
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

Ali Kakhbod

University of California, Berkeley ( email )

Haas School of Business
2220 Piedmont Ave
Berkeley, CA 94720
United States

Peiyao Li

University of California, Berkeley - Haas School of Business ( email )

545 Student Services Building, #1900
2220 Piedmont Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94720
United States

Kunal Sachdeva (Contact Author)

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business ( email )

701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI MI 48109
United States

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