Try, Try, Try Again? Persistence and the Gender Innovation Gap
Event details
| Date | 28.01.2021 |
| Hour | 17:00 |
| Speaker | Gauri Subramani (UC Berkeley) |
| Location |
Zoom
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Gauri Subramani (UC Berkeley)
"Try, Try, Try Again? Persistence and the Gender Innovation Gap"
Discussant: Isabel Fernandez-Mateo (LBS)
Abstract
Women are underrepresented in innovation; more than 85% of patent applications include no female inventors. In this paper, we show that women's differential responses to rejection are a significant contributor to the gender gap in innovation. We evaluate the prosecution and outcomes of almost one million patent applications in the United States from 2002 through 2012 using an instrumental variables approach and find that women are less likely to persist after an early rejection in the patent process. Roughly half of the overall gender gap in awarded patents can be accounted for by the differential propensity of women to exit the application process. We also provide evidence that firm affiliation reduces the gender gap in outcomes, consistent with a role for institutional support and resources in mitigating gender disparities.
EPFL Virtual Innovation Seminar
EVIS is a bi-weekly virtual seminar series focusing on Science, Technology and Innovation topics studied through the lens of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Finance.
"Try, Try, Try Again? Persistence and the Gender Innovation Gap"
Discussant: Isabel Fernandez-Mateo (LBS)
Abstract
Women are underrepresented in innovation; more than 85% of patent applications include no female inventors. In this paper, we show that women's differential responses to rejection are a significant contributor to the gender gap in innovation. We evaluate the prosecution and outcomes of almost one million patent applications in the United States from 2002 through 2012 using an instrumental variables approach and find that women are less likely to persist after an early rejection in the patent process. Roughly half of the overall gender gap in awarded patents can be accounted for by the differential propensity of women to exit the application process. We also provide evidence that firm affiliation reduces the gender gap in outcomes, consistent with a role for institutional support and resources in mitigating gender disparities.
EPFL Virtual Innovation Seminar
EVIS is a bi-weekly virtual seminar series focusing on Science, Technology and Innovation topics studied through the lens of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Finance.
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Practical information
- General public
- Free