A broadly accepted idea in the literature on innovation is that innovation comes from two sources: entirely new inventions, and re-combining elements of existing inventions into new forms. But while this idea has been intuitively accepted, to date there has been little quantitative evidence. In an analysis of the entire US patent record, INET Oxford's Dr. Hyejin Youn and her colleagues on a US Department of Energy supported project have shown that during the industrial revolution there was much innovation that was entirely new categories of invention, but that slowed down significantly in the 1870s. Since then, despite major new areas of innovation like IT and biotech, that most innovation has come from re-combination. See the Economist's coverage of their work here.
Latest News
All News
Janine Aron & John Muellbauer profiled in BankIndaba

Global heating to blame for threat of deadly flood in Peru: Guardian feature on new INET Oxford research

'Can complexity economics save the world? It has to': Eric Beinhocker at SFI

'The revolutions under way in macroeconomics': FT's Martin Sandbu on INET Oxford research

Targeted support needed to prevent automation hitting low wage workers hardest

21st century crises, from the global financial crisis to COVID, demand new economic understanding, say top economists

INET Oxford research inspires new 'Green Recovery Now' movement

Female-breadwinner families on the breadline

Bringing women on board: How government policies can improve gender diversity in top jobs

Report: Sensitive intervention points to achieve net-zero emissions

INET Oxford’s Linus Mattauch wins Robert Bosch Junior Professorship

World's first universal jobs guarantee experiment - Business Insider feature on INET Oxford research
