Development of Context-based Indices for Measuring Dynamic and Dualistic Nature of Innovation

This study develops a set of network-based, dual-dimensional indexes to describe the evolution of innovations. Relative to existing technologies, we propose that the current technology can possess amplifying and disruptive natures simultaneously, and both natures can be beneficial. Therefore, an innovation requires a set of orthogonal indexes as its measurement. Based on data collected from around 2.8 million utility patents in USPTO’s dataset from 1976 to 2006, regression analyses suggest that patent features, its owner’s organization, and its team of inventors’ characteristics cast different impact on the five-year and the long-term disruptive and amplifying indexes, respectively. We further document that different search paths also contribute to the innovative outputs.