Forty years of World Patent Information: A bibliometric overview

World Patent Information (WPI) is the leading international academic peer reviewed journal in the field of patent information. The journal was launched in 1979 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019. In recognition of this event, the aim of this work is to analyse the main actors, research themes and audiences of WPI. The analyses are based on the Scopus and Web of Science databases and include bibliographic coupling, co-citation and co-occurrence of author keywords. WPI is a boundary-spanning journal with authors from academia, industry and governmental organisations, such as patent authorities. This unique composition provides a prominent platform for knowledge transfer between academia and industry. In addition, WPI facilitates knowledge transfer between academia and industry, with research institutions citing contributions from authors affiliated to industry and patent offices. Furthermore, WPI not only crosses the boundaries between organisations (academia, industry and government), but also across disciplines, linking IP management, technology and innovation management, engineering, computer sciences, physical and natural sciences.

Automated summary

World Patent Information (WPI) is a leading international academic journal in the field of patent information, providing a prominent platform for knowledge transfer between academia, industry, and governmental organisations.