The Changing Technological Profile of the Leading ICT Firms: Evidence from US Patent Data, 1981-2000

P. M. Rao, Vijaya Vemuri and Peter Galvin

Industry and Innovation, 2004, vol. 11, issue 4, 353-372

Abstract: Drawing upon the patent data for 63 of the largest firms in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector for the period 1981-2000, this paper investigates how the technological profile of these firms has altered in relation to technological advantage, technological diversity and path dependency. Using a previously established measure of revealed technological advantage, the firms in the sample almost universally exhibited a decline over time in this measure. While this result is contrary to other multi-industry research, it may be unique to the ICT industry as many non-ICT oriented firms patent in the area as ICT technology underpins developments in more and more industries. In relation to technological diversity, there were high levels of intra-sector diversification, but little diversity beyond the ICT sector, supporting the notion that the emergence of technology markets will support specialization. In addition, strong evidence of path dependency was found indicating that firms adopt long-term strategies for developing their technology portfolios. Given the rapid growth of technology markets, these findings have considerable implications as to the nature and operation of these markets.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1080/1366271042000289351

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