Eco-Systems Mapping and Forecasting of Techno-Science Linkages at the Level of Scholarly Journals and Fields

Abstract

Based on the number of references to patents aggregated at the level of journals, we develop two indicators of linkages between the sciences and technologies: patent intensity (PI) and patent density (PD). Journal maps can be overlaid with the values of PD and PI so that the portfolios can visually be identified and analytically be compared across fields. Distributions of techno-science linkages among journals and groups of journals are analyzed. Chemistry and Nano Science are the most prominent fields in patent references, but these linkages show declining trends. The continuity in terms of citing patents in successive years in these two fields are significantly higher than in other fields. Nano Science is composed of eight subfields, among which the chemistry-related subfields have the highest percentage of journals citing patents in successive years. Patent citations are very specific in domains other than Chemistry and Nano Science; patent citation in the Social Sciences, however, is above expectation.