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The knowledge bases of the world’s largest pharmaceutical groups: what do patent citations to non-patent literature reveal?

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Author Info
Stefano Brusoni
Paola Criscuolo
Aldo Geuna

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Abstract

This article examines the knowledge bases of the world’s largest pharmaceutical groups by sales. It builds upon the concepts of knowledge specialisation and knowledge integration as the relevant dimensions along which knowledge bases can be mapped. The former is studied developing indicators of breadth. Breadth is measured by analysing the evolution of specialisation by scientific field over time. It hints at the widening range of bodies of scientific and technological knowledge relevant to firms’ innovative activities. Knowledge integration is studied developing indicators of depth. Depth is measured by analysing the evolution of integration across different typologies of research. It hints at the complex, non-linear interdependencies that link the scientific and technological domains. We develop the analysis on the strength of an original database of 33,127 European Patent Office patents and 41,931 citations to 'non-patent document’ (of which 19,494 were identified as scientific articles included in the ISI databases) of the 30 largest pharmaceuticals groups during the period 1990--1997. The groups studied seem to have incrementally increased the breadth of their knowledge bases, moving towards the fields proper to the new biopharmaceutical research trajectory. At the same time, some of the groups studied exhibit remarkable depth in knowledge integration in particular fields such as biotechnology, biochemical research and neurosciences.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal Economics of Innovation and New Technology.

Volume (Year): 14 (2005)
Issue (Month): 5 (July)
Pages: 395-415
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Handle: RePEc:taf:ecinnt:v:14:y:2005:i:5:p:395-415

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Related research
Keywords: Knowledge bases; Breadth; Depth; Integration; Patent citations; Scientific publications; Pharmaceuticals;

References listed on IDEAS
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  3. Meyer, Martin, 2000. "Does science push technology? Patents citing scientific literature," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 409-434, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Malo,Stéphane & Geuna,Aldo, 1999. "Science-Technology Linkages in an Emerging Research Platform: The case of Combinatorial Chemistry and Biology," Research Memoranda 020, Maastricht : MERIT, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology. [Downloadable!]
  5. Adam B. Jaffe, 1986. "Technological Opportunity and Spillovers of R&D: Evidence from Firms' Patents, Profits and Market Value," NBER Working Papers 1815, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Soete, Luc, 1987. "The impact of technological innovation on international trade patterns: The evidence reconsidered," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(2-4), pages 101-130, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Rebecca Henderson & Iain Cockburn, . "Scale, Scope and Spillovers: The Determinants of Research Productivity in Drug Discovery," Working Papers ec25/94, Department of Economics, University of Lancaster.
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  8. Henderson, Rebecca., 1994. "The evolution of integrative capability : innovation in cardiovascular drug discovery," Working papers 3711-94., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management. [Downloadable!]
  9. Stefano Brusoni & Paola Criscuolo & Aldo Geuna, 2003. "The Knowledge Bases of the World's Largest Pharmaceuticals Groups: what do Patent Citations to Non-Patent Literature Reveal?," SPRU Electronic Working Paper Series 90, University of Sussex, SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research. [Downloadable!]
  10. Richard R. Nelson, 2003. "On the Uneven Evolution of Human Know-How," LEM Papers Series 2003/25, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. Arora, Ashish & Gambardella, Alfonso, 1994. "The changing technology of technological change: general and abstract knowledge and the division of innovative labour," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 523-532, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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