Heterogeneities in Utility Model Accessibility
Dan Prud'homme · Cambridge University Press eBooks · 2025
This chapter examines the impacts of heterogeneities in utility model regime accessibility around the world. Accessibility of an intellectual property right is conceptualized in terms of how difficult it is to obtain and maintain from the government. I summarize work in progress of mine that provides quantitative evidence from a sample of 25 major economies, over time, of an inverted U-curve between utility model regime accessibility and utility model usage. I also show that firms may substitute other means of appropriability for utility models when a utility model regime is less accessible and conventional patent regimes offer stronger rights. Lastly, I summarize qualitative work of mine that examines a subset of these economies. I show that utility model regimes may be made less accessible over time to limit quality problems with the rights, although the exact parameters of these reforms need to be decided on an economy-by-economy basis.