How do new technologies emerge? A patent-based analysis of ICT-related new industrial activities

Summary

This paper selects endogenously 149 relevant technologies or plaff’orms in the ICT field through a browsing procedure of patents abstract. Innovative products and applications in emerging and non emerging technologies are compared. This paper shows that emerging technologies are more concentrated across countries, firms and technological IPC classes relatively to non emerging ones. University and public research centres do not seem to play a relevant role in innovations in emerging technologies. Finally a preliminary analysis of knowledge sources through patent citations suggests that, among the leading countries, the US, despite a lower patent share in emerging technologies, maintains a strong position in terms of knowledge production. Sweden and Finland also display a good position as knowledge creators.

Key Words:

• ICT patents
• emergent technologies
• knowledge production
• knowledge creation
• comparative analysis countries
• firms
• IPC classes