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Reconfiguring star inventors with commercialization: a case of the graphene sector

Author

Listed:
  • Yutao Sun

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Ying Zhang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

  • Xiaofei Zhang

    (Dalian University of Technology)

Abstract

Star inventors are the most outstanding innovators in the technology field. Most extant literature defines star inventors along the lines of performance and social relationship. This paper presents a three-dimensional model of star inventors—invention performance, social relationship and technology commercialization as an extension of previous multidimensional conceptualizations of individual differences in inventive capacity. Furthermore, a rank–frequency distribution model combined with the Peak Over Threshold (POT) model based on Extreme Value Theory (EVT) is utilized to determine the threshold for distinguishing stars from non-stars. One case study describes inventors in the graphene sector based on the USPTO database. The findings suggest that 491 star inventors can be identified out of 5777 inventors in the graphene sector; the highest overlap between any two types of star inventors is up to 21%. If the commercialization of inventors is not considered, nearly half of the commercial stars will be ignored. All-stars are the most outstanding in terms of invention performance, social relationship and technology commercialization, but they are also the scarcest.

Suggested Citation

  • Yutao Sun & Ying Zhang & Xiaofei Zhang, 2023. "Reconfiguring star inventors with commercialization: a case of the graphene sector," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(10), pages 5411-5440, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:128:y:2023:i:10:d:10.1007_s11192-023-04795-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-023-04795-2
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