Abstract
In this paper we examine the role early inventors, inventors actively engaged in the early-stage development of a technology, can play as an individual researcher connection to science during the lifecycle of a technology and how these early inventors impact the development of follow-on inventions. Analyzing the development of the lithium-ion battery, our study finds that early inventors can play a unique role in the science translation process and develop more valuable follow-on technologies than those inventors that only moved into the lithium-ion technology field at a later stage. Additionally, we show that by building up technology specific experience, and exploiting this experience in the development of follow-on inventions, inventors that only moved into the technology field at a later stage can mitigate, to a certain extent, the absence of an early inventor in the inventor team. These findings stress the importance of the involvement of discipline-trained scientists and inventors in the development of follow-on inventions in a given technology field.
Original language | English |
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Publication date | 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | 77th Annual meeting of the Academy of Management: At the Interface - Georgia, Atlanta, United States Duration: 4 Aug 2017 → 8 Aug 2017 Conference number: 77 http://aom.org/annualmeeting/ http://aom.org/annualmeeting/ |
Conference
Conference | 77th Annual meeting of the Academy of Management |
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Number | 77 |
Location | Georgia |
Country/Territory | United States |
City | Atlanta |
Period | 04/08/2017 → 08/08/2017 |
Internet address |
Keywords
- Early inventors
- Industry-science linkages
- Technology trajectories