R&D allies: How they impact technology convergence in the area of ICT

Abstract

This research is the last part of the series, 'Five Year Trends of ICT Convergence Based on KIPO Issued Patents', which was first submitted to ICTC2012. The second part was submitted to ICTC2013. The first part of the series examined, based on KIPO-issued patents, how technological convergence in ICT has been proceeding for the five years from 2007 to 2011. The second part analysed the patent activities of the top five key players of three groups, namely, public institutes, universities, and firms, to identify the determinants of convergence types (mono, homo, hetero) from the perspective of collaboration and organizational absorptive capacity. This is the last part of the series, and herein, we present some findings regarding how R&D allies are related to technological convergence.