Nanotechnology Innovation System: An Empirical Analysis of the Emerging Actors and Collaborative Networks

This research presents an empirical analysis of the emerging actors and collaborative networks in nanotechnology. Patenting activities and technology diffusion in high-tech sectors are being increasingly driven by collaborative, international, and technology-based new entrants. To support the technology transfer process within or across country, this study examines how patent collaborations occur and how the actors interact with each other. The research develops a taxonomy that could make a significant impact on accurate nanotechnology patent data quests and increases the reliability of the analyses. The findings show that significant linkages of the U.S., Korean, and Japanese actors appear as being highly centralized around key players within their own national innovation systems. The results suggest that strengthening the linkages between scientific and corporate actors may eliminate many barriers and accelerate the diffusion of technology into the commercialized stage. This process will be faster if academic researchers focus on the requirements of industry, and the new inventions are linked with the needs of large organizations.