Assessing innovation capability and scientific impact of industry through patented technologies

Due to the constantly changing nature of our society, the ability to make correct decisions is crucial for decision-makers. Understanding science-technology linkages and knowledge flows are of critical importance for decision-makers. A recent surge of research on patent has given us new opportunities and challenges; and there are many advances that have been made in the area of patent analysis. Therefore, this study aims to measure innovation capability and science-technology linkage by analyzing USPTO patents from 1976 to 2012. Implications obtained in this study are summarized as: 1) innovation capability can be measured by properly selected patent indicator, 2) level of knowledge diffusion and knowledge flows across industries can be evaluated, 3) The proportion of large R&D-intensive companies patent holder and the impact of policies on patent output are analyzed, 4) the relation between a nation´s patenting behavior and global patenting activities can be compared.