Revisit the Classification of General Purpose Technologies (GPTs) in Corporate Innovation Research Using Patent and Patent Citation Data

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been recognized as a type of General Purpose Technologies (GPTs), and thus are considered the "driving force" in corporate technology advance. In this study, we re-conceptualize and re-classify GPTs from a broad fieldbased approach, based on a two-dimensional construct using patent and patent citation data. The new construct makes connections of ICTs with other technology fields. The new approach takes into considerations that firms are not only "users" but also "innovators" of new technologies. The research results in this paper will serve as a platform based upon which more studies on ICTs and GPTs in technology changes, corporate innovations, international R&D and innovation clusters can be further conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]