A systemic analysis of the technological trajectory at company level based on patent data: The case of Sanofi's vaccine technology

Sophie Boutillier (), Blandine Laperche (), Didier Lebert and Sana Elouaer-Mrizak ()
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Sophie Boutillier: ISI - Centre de recherche sur l’Innovation et les Stratégies Industrielles - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale
Blandine Laperche: ISI - Centre de recherche sur l’Innovation et les Stratégies Industrielles - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale
Didier Lebert: UEA - Unité d'Économie Appliquée - ENSTA Paris - École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris, CRG I3 - Centre de recherche en gestion I3 - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - I3 - Institut interdisciplinaire de l’innovation - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Sana Elouaer-Mrizak: ISI - Centre de recherche sur l’Innovation et les Stratégies Industrielles - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale

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Abstract: Whereas most of technological trajectory research in evolutionary economics focuses on the sectoral level, ourobjective is to propose an analysis at the scale of the company. We are studying the leading pharmaceuticalcompany Sanofi and focusing on the development of its vaccine technologies, a very topical issue in the Covid-19context. What are the characteristics of Sanofi's vaccine technology trajectory and how can they explain thecompany's position in the Covid-19 crisis, i.e. its ability (or not) to innovate and respond to social demand for avaccine? We contribute to technological trajectory literature by integrating a systemic dimension of the linksbetween source and destination technology. Our ‘Knowledge Capital Approach' is based on patent citation dataand network analysis. It has allowed us to identify the trajectory of Sanofi's vaccine technical system and to showits central position in its knowledge capital, where the technologies mastered by the company converge. Theseresults can be viewed as paradoxical when considering Sanofi's lag in the Covid-19 race for a new vaccine. Ourhistorical and qualitative approach adds to these findings by showing the role of strategic and institutionalfactors in explaining this situation.

Keywords: Technological trajectory; Knowledge capital; Sanofi; Vaccine technical system; Network analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-06
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04028255v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Technovation, 2023, 124, pp.102746. ⟨10.1016/j.technovation.2023.102746⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-04028255

DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2023.102746

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