Measuring Technological Capability and Technological Catch-up Process Using Patent Data at the National Level

Although patent data has been utilized in previous studies, none focus explicitly on the real difference between advanced and developing countries in the area of technological capabilities. We propose that patent data can capture three dimensions of technological capability. First, the simple number of patents can be a measure of technological capability. Second, the number of the sectors of patent registration can also represent technological capabilities. Third, the number of citations can be another measure of technological capabilities. In general, the growth of technological capability simultaneously involves changes in all three of these dimensions. Utilizing patent data extensively, we find a significant difference between advanced and developing countries in terms of technological capabilities as measured by 1) the size as measured by the number of patents, 2) the scope/diversity as measured by the number of the sectors , and 3) the quality of their innovations as measured by the number of citations. And extending this framework, the course of technological catch-up in the technological area can be depicted by the above three measures.