Innovation Network

Daron  Acemoglu; Ufuk  Akcigit; William R. Kerr

Article | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | October 11, 2016

Innovation Network

by Daron Acemoglu, Ufuk Akcigit and William R. Kerr

Abstract

Technological progress builds upon itself, with the expansion of invention in one domain propelling future work in linked fields. Our analysis uses 1.8 million U.S. patents and their citation properties to map the innovation network and its strength. Past innovation network structures are calculated using citation patterns across technology classes during 1975 to 1994. The interaction of this preexisting network structure with patent growth in upstream technology fields has strong predictive power on future innovation after 1995. This pattern is consistent with the idea that when there is more past upstream innovation for a particular technology class to build on, then that technology class innovates more.

Keywords: Innovation and Invention; Networks; Patents;

Format: Print

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Citation:

Acemoglu, Daron, Ufuk Akcigit, and William R. Kerr. "Innovation Network." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113, no. 41 (October 11, 2016).

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Innovation Network

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