A study about the relationship between intellectual property rights (IPR) and growth: a theoretical analysis and an empirical test (original) (raw)
The entire process of a PhD degree, namely in the elaboration of this doctoral thesis, is a demanding and challenging journey and there are several people and institutions to whom I am grateful because they have helped me in many ways. I am deeply indebted for their contributions and significant assistance provided. Although the words are scarce, I have to name some contributions knowing that I will for sure forget to name some of them. Firstly, I would like to thank my friends and family who have always been there for me, for their words, actions of encouragement and friendship. I especially thank my Mom, my Dad (who has passed away during this process), my brother and my boyfriend for helping me become the person I am today, for their endless love, encouragement, support and patience and for taking this journey along with me. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Óscar Afonso and Sandra Silva, for their tireless attention, guidance and encouragement, essential throughout this process. Their experience, knowledge, professional and human skills will remain as an example for both my career and my life. Apart from their scientific support, I owe them their personal support and friendship. I also owe a very special thanks to Sílvia Silva, for kindly helping me in several ways, especially during my graduate school career, and for her friendship. She has been helpful in providing me some useful advice and in generously contributing with significant comments and suggestions on draft versions of these sections. I am grateful for material, comments and suggestions on preliminary essays for this thesis, provided in conferences and at the time of the submissions of the papers. I acknowledge for whom that have always answered my solicitations and kindly shared their opinions and cleared my doubts. Regarding institutions, I am thankful to the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto and the CEF.UP and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for all their support over these years. Both material and financial assistance were important to become this work possible.