{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,11]],"date-time":"2026-01-11T15:45:08Z","timestamp":1768146308567,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Koozakar LLC","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["AJSPIM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The study analyzes intellectual property laws and their impact on innovation, focusing \non the consequences of excessive patenting or \"patent thickets,\" where multiple \noverlapping patents complicate research and innovation. It reviews the criteria for \npatent grants, and assesses how skilled patent examinations may contribute to a \nbalanced patent system that fosters competition and technological advancement. This \nwas with a view to providing critical policy intelligence for the prevention of \nunnecessary patent proliferation, thus ensuring that only genuine innovations receive \nprotection. The study used a content analysis methodology. Findings show that while \nintellectual property rights incentivizes innovation, an excessive number of patents in \na field can create legal and financial barriers, discouraging further research, increase \nlitigation risks and hinder market competition. However, a well-implemented patent \nexamination process helps filter out non-innovative patents, reduces unnecessary \ncomplexities and supports genuine innovation. The article argued that an effective \npatent system relies on skilled examiners to ensure that intellectual property rights \nserve as a catalyst for technological progress rather than an obstacle, and concluded \nthat strengthening patent examination processes can prevent the over-proliferation of \npatents, maintain fair competition, and promote sustainable innovation in research and \nproduct development.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.69798\/73431759","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T14:42:04Z","timestamp":1753108924000},"page":"55-63","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Patent Thicket Threat to Innovation: The Role of Skilled Patent  Examination in Patent Grants"],"prefix":"10.69798","volume":"5","author":[{"name":"Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Enobong","family":"Ogundari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"50185","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]},"container-title":["African Journal of Science Policy and Innovation Management"],"original-title":[],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,11]],"date-time":"2026-01-11T13:04:39Z","timestamp":1768136679000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/koozakar.com\/journals\/article\/KJ-13987449"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.69798\/73431759","relation":{},"ISSN":["3066-3997"],"issn-type":[{"value":"3066-3997","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,1]]}}}