Innovation Front and Technology Linkage

Abstract

This paper presents new indicators of knowledge flows by linking scientific articles to patents. The citations between scientific articles and patents have been analyzed since Narin started the study of science linkage, which is seen in administrative process as patent examiners refer scientific articles in examining a patent (Narin, 1988, 1997). The new indicators introduced in this paper, “Innovation Front” and “Technology Linkage,” are considered important, especially for policy-makers and strategy planners. These new indicators show that innovation in biotechnology field depends on a wide range of scientific knowledge and elicit a new geography of innovation hot spots.