Patent Citations, University Inventor Patents, and Survival in the German Laser Source Industry (1960-2005) Volume 6 Jena Economic Research Papers 2012-03-09 2012 2007 2012-009 firm survival patent citations quality patents university-inventor patents innovation The relationship between innovation and firm survival is analyzed for the population of German laser source producers from the beginning of the industry until 2005. Innovation effort is approximated by the generation of high quality patents in laser sources technology (IPC H01S) and by having patents with university inventors. Quality patents are defined as those in the upper quartile of the strongly right-skewed distribution of forward citations. Having quality patents is positive and statistically significantly associated with firm survival. New firms without relevant capabilities inherited at their birth may be capable of compensating for their lack of adequate pre-entry experience with corresponding innovative behavior. Having patents with university inventors is apparently not related to firm survival. jportal_jpjournal_00000016 2012-03-09T10:27:23.383Z 2012-03-09T10:27:05.801Z