Research on a technological evaluation method applying patented invention for strategic technology management

Patent value is defined and described from the following 3 aspects; market value, legal value and technological value. There have been done several researches regarding market value and legal value of patents, but no specific researches on technological value of patents, which can be evaluated from patented invention. The technological value is essential to give strong impacts on its market with long life cycle of the product. In case there is a high inventive step, it will not be easy for competitors to catch up to produce the similar products. However, in case with small inventive step, it will not be leading product. This research focuses on a specific product field; stent, with two major manufacturers Cordis and Terumo, and proposes a technological evaluation method with technological leveling, applying multi-variate analysis to extract the specific technological features of the said manufacturers competing each other to establish their own superior field as a result of their own R&D activities. The point for technology management is how to produce a breakthrough product having a high technological value. Based on the proposed evaluation method, the technology can be properly evaluated to give essential Information for decision making of strategic technology management.