We develop and apply a set of measures that enable a fine-grained characterization of technological capabilities based on the USPTO database. These measures can capture the distance between any two patents, and help to identify outlier patents. They also provide a rich characterization of a...

In the early-to-mid 1990s technology alliances suddenly surged to unprecedented levels – roughly 300% growth per year from 1990 to 1995 – and then declined just as precipitously. This massive increase in alliance activity caused the crystallization of a giant component in the global...

In industries characterized by network externalities, the self-reinforcing effects of installed base and the availability of complementary goods can lead to a single (or few) firm(s) controlling nearly all of the market share in a product category. A new entrant may attempt to displace the...

Analyzing renewable energies from a technology s-curve perspective reveals some surprising and important implications for both government and industry. Using data on government R&D investment and technological improvement (in the form of cost reductions), we show that both wind energy and...