As the knowledge boundaries between producer and user firms shift, so do the loci of innovative activity. This study focuses on semiconductors as a case of a high technology industry in which application-specific knowledge became increasingly important in research and design and semiconductor devices were increasingly customised to meet the needs of diverse user markets. The study consists of an empirical analysis of firm-level patent data over two decades. The findings show that user companies innovated extensively and patented their innovations in semiconductors in the two decades between 1984 and 2003. The findings also reveal that major differences existed in the patenting behaviour of various categories of user firms.

User knowledge in high technology innovation: an empirical analysis in the semiconductor industry

FONTANA, ROBERTO;
2012-01-01

Abstract

As the knowledge boundaries between producer and user firms shift, so do the loci of innovative activity. This study focuses on semiconductors as a case of a high technology industry in which application-specific knowledge became increasingly important in research and design and semiconductor devices were increasingly customised to meet the needs of diverse user markets. The study consists of an empirical analysis of firm-level patent data over two decades. The findings show that user companies innovated extensively and patented their innovations in semiconductors in the two decades between 1984 and 2003. The findings also reveal that major differences existed in the patenting behaviour of various categories of user firms.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/273306
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 2
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact