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J Technol Transf (2014) 39:358375 DOI 10.1007/s10961-012-9285-4
Giuditta De Prato Daniel Nepelski
Published online: 2 December 2012 European Union 2012
Abstract Global innovation networks are emerging as a result of the international division of innovation processes through, among others, international technological collaborations. At the aggregate level, the creation of technological collaboration between countries can be considered as mutually benecial (or detrimental) and their random distribution is unlikely. Consequently, the dynamics and evolution of the technological collaborations can be expected to full the criteria of a complex network. To study the structure and evolution of the global technological collaboration network, we use patent-based data of international co-inventions and apply the network analysis. In addition, extending the gravity model of international technological collaboration by network measures, we show that a countrys position in the network has very strong impact on the intensity of collaboration with other countries.
Keywords Globalisation of technology Technological collaboration Co-invention
Network analysis Patent
JEL Classication D8 F23 O14 O30 O57
1 Introduction
As external contacts are decisive for a rms innovation activities (Asheim and Isaksen 2002; Cooke 2002), modern corporations seek knowledge worldwide (Archibugi and Iammarino 2002; Bartlett and Ghoshal 1990; Doz et al. 2001; Dunning 1988, 1994). This process of innovation internationalisation takes place, among others, through international technological collaborations (Archibugi and Iammarino 2002; Narula and Hagedoorn
Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the authors and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an ofcial position of the European Commission.
G. De Prato D. Nepelski (&)
JRC Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, Calle del Inca Garcilaso 3, 41092 Seville, Spaine-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Global technological collaboration network: network analysis of international co-inventions
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Global technological collaboration network 359
1999). At the aggregate level, the result of international technological collaborations is the emergence of knowledge ows between countries and the creation of global innovation networks (Sachwald 2008). The existence of a link between any pair of countries in such a network creates externalities to other countries, e.g. competition for skilled labour or knowledge spillovers (Audretsch and Feldman 1996; Audretsch and Lehmann 2005). Hence, the technological collaboration between any pair of countries can be considered as mutually benecial (or detrimental) to the remaining ones and a random distribution of links...