(Reflections of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Technical Innovation Activities of Businesses: A Research on Patent Applications)

Abstract

Purpose - The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the pandemic, which affects the whole world and creates a crisis environment, on the technical innovation activities of companies operating in the manufacturing sector. Also in this article, COVID-19 gained so far in Turkey in the fight against scientific and technological innovation and aims to highlight breakthroughs. Design/Methodology/Approach – Text mining method was used in this study. The numbers of patent and utility model applications were used as an indicator of the activities of the companies regarding technical innovations. Patent and utility model data were collected by using the Patent Bulletin published by TÜRKPATENT on a monthly basis, the researches made in the patent-utility model online registry open to public access and the official statistics published on the website of the institution. Findings - Since the first months of 2020, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have had significant effects on our country, from working conditions to our social relations and lifestyle, on innovative studies have been evaluated. When evaluated in general, it is seen that the pandemic does not have a negative effect on the total number of patent and utility model applications. So much so that there is even an increase in the total number of applications compared to the same period of the previous year. When the pandemic is handled as in the previous periods, it is seen that patent applications are more than utility model applications. Discussion - During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is seen that technical innovations are made the most in the field of medicine. Considering the field of medicine, it is seen that the studies in this field are related to the products obtained from the mixture of natural (herbal) or chemical substances for the treatment and prevention of the disease. The fact that the most applications are in this field is due to the expectations for the elimination of this virus, which is the most needed issue during the epidemic process. As a matter of fact, the news that all over the world are working on drugs for the treatment of the disease or vaccines for protection can be widely followed in the media.