Title: Differences in science based innovation by technology life cycles: the case of solar cell technology

Authors: Kazuyuki Motohashi; Takanori Tomozawa

Addresses: Department of Technology Management for Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan ' Natural Resource and Energy Agency, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan, 1-3-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0013, Japan

Abstract: This paper analyses the role of university research in industrial innovation by different phases of the technology life cycle (TLC) and by patent analysis of solar cell technology. It is found that, in the early phase of TLC, the role of academic research is to broaden the technology scope to provide a variety of technologies to the market. Industry can be benefited directly from universities as a source of new technology. In contrast, in the later phase of TLC where both product and process innovation are important, university industry collaboration (UIC) patents are greater in patent quality as measured by normalised forward citation. In addition, scientific paper citations and the experience of UIC by firms' inventors are beneficial to high impact inventions. Therefore, the impact of academic research comes into play in a more indirect way, using scientific knowledge embodied by industry researchers in the later phase of TLC.

Keywords: technology life cycle; university-industry collaboration; industrial collaboration; solar cell technology; patent analysis; science-based innovation; solar cells; solar energy; solar power; university research; patents; academic research; industrial innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2016.080539

International Journal of Technology Management, 2016 Vol.72 No.1/2/3, pp.5 - 18

Received: 21 Feb 2015
Accepted: 31 Jan 2016
Published online: 29 Nov 2016 *

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