A structured approach to explore knowledge flows through technology-based business methods by integrating patent citation analysis and text mining

With information and communication technology (ICT) as an enabling platform, diversified new business methods (BMs) have been developed. These new technology-based BMs have played an important role in knowledge flow as they became a patentable subject matter. However, there are not many studies on knowledge flow through the technology-based BMs or BM patents in spite of its importance. As an attempt to provide a deeper understanding of technology-based BMs with regard to knowledge flow, this paper explores knowledge flows driven by the technology-based BMs through investigating both cited and citing patents. In order to explore the knowledge flows, this paper proposes an algorithm that utilizes both the citation and textual information of BM patents. In addition to citation information, text data in patent documents are used to measure the degree of knowledge flow in a more accurate way. A case study is conducted with the BM patents related to postage metering system and the analysis result is presented in a positioning map that shows different knowledge flow patterns of technological classes. Moreover, the technology-based BM patents as knowledge flow drivers are classified based on the amount of knowledge exchanged between the base BM patents and their patent citations.