Mapping technological trajectories as patent citation networks: Taking the aero-engine industry as an example

Technological evolution is considered to be taking place along requirements and selective patterns change, shaped jointly by technological and scientific principles, and economic and other societal factors. Historical, descriptive analysis is often used to analyze trajectory. This paper uses patent bibliometric analysis and patent network analysis to monitor technological trajectories in the field of aero-engine. In this way we can easily recognize genuine paradigmatic changes compared to more regular changes in trajectory. Our aim is to identify when such changes took place in different generations of technological advances this industry has seen. Combined with the empirical research of aero-engine industry, we not only explain the dynamic identification method of technological trajectory, but also describe the process of technology changes in detail. These results first reveal different aspects of patenting activities in aero-engine field. Then, patent network analysis indicates the developmental tendency of worldwide aero-engine production based on different technology backgrounds. Furthermore, key technologies can be identified which provide the opportunity to improve the efficacy in the path of main-stream technology for enterprises.