Knowledge Push Curve (KPC) in retailing: Evidence from patented innovations analysis affecting retailers' competitiveness

Previous studies have demonstrated the extent to which an analysis of patent growth can be used to study the innovation level of a certain industry, national competitiveness in terms of technological innovation, and the inventive capacity in a specific domain etc. In terms of the retail industry, there is a propensity for patenting and an increasing consumer demand for technological innovation. In fact, integrating innovative technologies, including innovative systems for conducting product searches and comparisons, and for paying, are one of the most efficient ways to create value for businesses. Building on a historical series of patents from 1990 to 2015, this paper explores the trends in the sector, analysing the increasing number of patents. Secondly it develops a predictive curve, a technology-push curve (TPC) for making some predictions about the future directions in the retail industry that might affect retailers' competitiveness and subsequent innovation management strategies.