The interaction between science and technology (S&T) is a complex and heterogeneous process. Knowledge flows between the communities of “Open Science” and “Proprietary technology” are usually local in terms of technological, geographical or social proximity. The aim of this study is to quantify knowledge spillovers between S&T, using the bibliographic references contained in patents as “paper trails”. Patent documents and cited scientific articles are used to build a comprehensive social network of authors and inventors in the semiconductor industry. The networks of discovery and invention are then related in order to analyze the mechanisms underlying the diffusion of new information. Individuals who are both scientific authors and inventors act as technological gatekeepers, reconciling the different incentive schemes and interests of S&T. Authors-inventors are influential people in the network: they actually control most of the knowledge flows between different groups, are more connected and if removed, significantly increase the average social distance between the others. The interplay between geography and social distance is further investigated in a regression framework, so as to estimate the effect of social ties and geographical distance on the probability of a citation from a patent to a scientific article. The results indicate that social networks are indeed an effective diffusion vehicle for new knowledge and can help overcome geographical distance. Linked individuals are able to exchange complex and tacit knowledge even without being co-located in the same place, as they have developed the common vocabulary that makes them a “community of experts”.
Christian Catalini - Download here
PhD Candidate in Strategy at the Rotman School of Management and technology enthusiast, I wrote my undergraduate degree thesis on the economics of open source development and my MSc final dissertation on "The link between science and technology: exploring the network of inventors and scientific authors in the semiconductor industry". After working at KITES-CESPRI Bocconi on the European research project “Highly cited patent”, I've started my PhD in Strategic Management at Rotman. Current projects include "Markets Making Music", with Ajay Agrawal; "Intellectual Property and the Diffusion of Formal Standards", with Timothy Simcoe; "Authors-inventors: life on the boundary between science and technology", with Stefano Breschi. 
