Identifying the Knowledge Networks in Mobile Ecosystem Based on Patent Citation Analysis

With the emergence of smartphones, the paradigm of the mobile ecosystem has changed rapidly. In particular, global mobile firms focus on technological competition when jostling for market position in recognition of the strategic need to secure a strong mobile platform. In this paper, we analyze the network structure of technological knowledge flows in mobile ecosystems using U.S. patent citation information. We find that two subsectors, platform providers and application & software providers, are at the center of knowledge exchange activity and play a brokerage role as the key knowledge mediator. Then, we categorize mobile firms into five different groups based on the patterns of their network centrality: knowledge keystone players, knowledge-distributing mediators, knowledge-absorbing mediators, catch-up players, and pure knowledge receivers. The categorization of firms demonstrates that knowledge flows in the mobile industry converge toward a few leading firms, and such patterns are shaping the mobile ecosystem with respect to technological knowledge. The firms categorized as catch-up players have played a brokerage role within their group, while the firms categorized as knowledge keystone players play a brokerage role across different groups