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Emerging firms in an emerging field: an analysis of patent citations in electronic-paper display technology

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Abstract

USPTO patent data covering the years 1994–2008 is used in this study to examine the citation networks of electronic-paper display technology. Our primary aim is to provide a better understanding of the ways in which emerging firms interact with, and learn from, technology diffusers. Two implications can be drawn from our analysis. Firstly, emerging firms within an emerging industry can enhance their technological capabilities through positive external learning activity. Secondly, despite the fact that technology diffusers have clear technological advantages, with the emergence of a new field, their influence within the network could potentially be decayed if they fail to remain proactive in terms of the absorption of available external knowledge.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the grant of Taiwan’s National Science Council (NSC-99-2410-H-002-044-MY2) and Center for China Studies, National Taiwan University. We appreciate the helps from Mr. Che-Jung Hsu and the comments from Prof. Shihmin Lo and Prof. Ming-hung Weng.

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Correspondence to Show-Ling Jang.

Appendix

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Keywords used for searching Bridgestone’s patents related to e-paper display technology

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Keywords

Patent title, claims, abstract and specification

Display, display panel, paper-like, electronic paper, liquid powder display.

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Jang, SL., Yu, YC. & Wang, TY. Emerging firms in an emerging field: an analysis of patent citations in electronic-paper display technology. Scientometrics 89, 259–272 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-011-0448-0

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