IBS Lunchtime Research Seminar - How to write a patent in thirty days: the effects of enrolment time on patented knowledge disclosure

You are cordially invited to attend an International Business and Strategy Departmental Research Meeting, during which there will be a presentation by Dr Stephen Billington, Ulster University. A reminder that attendance for IBS (full time, research oriented) staff and full-time students is compulsory, and where possible, must be in person. Individuals unable to attend in person, due to legitimate reasons will be provided a Teams link on request. Non-IBS staff are welcome to attend. If you have not received the email invite please email Angie Clark

Please join us in Room 108, Henley Business School.

Please make sure you let me know in advance if you intend to attend in person so that the correct amount of catering is booked.

Date: Wednesday 21st October 2026, HBS Room 108

Time: 13.00 - 14.30

Abstract

Does length of time given to enrol a specification influence the quality of knowledge disclosure and its diffusion into future technologies? We exploit an exogenous reform to the historical British patent system which reduced the time given to enrol a specification by 75%. Using textual measure and an audited LLM classification of patents along dimensions of readability, we employ a regression discontinuity design to estimate the impact of the reform on indicators of a patent’s disclosure quality. Preliminary evidence indicates the length and graphical characteristics of post-reform patents declined. We then test the effects of the reform on the diffusion of patented knowledge using novel natural language processing techniques. Early results demonstrate that post-reform patents had fewer descendants, a lower influence on language usage in future patents, and a longer time lag before identifying its first follow-on patent.