Technological Relatedness to the ICT Industry and Its Impact on Innovation Performance and Competitive Intensity
By Aditya Karanam, Deepa Mani, Rajib Saha
Information Systems Research | May 2024
DOI
doi.org/10.1287/isre.2020.0627
Citation
Karanam, Aditya., Mani, Deepa., Saha, Rajib. (2024). Technological Relatedness to the ICT Industry and Its Impact on Innovation Performance and Competitive Intensity Information Systems Research doi.org/10.1287/isre.2020.0627.
Copyright
Information Systems Research, 2024
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Abstract
We create an intersectoral citation network using 1.3 million patents granted between 1981 and 2010 across all industries in the United States. In this network space, we find a significant increase over time in the proximity of non–information and communication technologies (ICT) industries to the ICT industry. Such “ICT-closeness” of an industry relates to a significant increase in the proportion of ICT technologies in the industry’s patent portfolio and complementarity between ICT and non-ICT patents in its portfolio. We hypothesize and find that ICT-Closeness has a significant positive impact on innovation outcomes of the citing industry, including innovative efficiency, recombinant capabilities, and creation of new products, services, and business methods. ICT-closeness also engenders hypercompetition in the citing industries, as reflected in greater winner-take-all dynamics and turbulence. Our results point to a paradigm shift in knowledge production, and in turn, sources of competitive value across diverse industries.

Professor Deepa Mani is Professor of Information Systems and the Deputy Dean of Academic Programmes & Digital Learning at the Indian School of Business. Deepa’s research interests are at the intersection of technology, organisation, and society. She has demonstrated significant thought leadership on the business and policy implications of technological innovations and investments. Her research articles have been published in leading academic journals and extensively featured in refereed conference proceedings, edited book chapters, and popular media outlets. Deepa serves as a Senior Editor at Information Systems Research. Deepa’s research has also had widespread impact on business practice and policy. In recognition of her impact, she was awarded the prestigious INFORMS Information Systems Society (ISS) Practical Impacts Award in 2022.

Deepa has been appointed to serve on several expert committees of the Central and State governments to provide guidance on policies for the digital economy, digital interventions in key sectors, and catalyse grassroot impacts using technology. She also extensively coaches organizations, keynotes corporate leadership events, and conducts executive education in the areas of digital business models, digital transformation and technology product management.

Deepa completed her undergraduate education at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, Masters in Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, and her doctorate in Information Systems from the University of Texas, Austin.

Deepa Mani (1)
Deepa Mani

Rajib Saha is an Associate Professor of Information Systems at the Indian School of Business (ISB). He works broadly in the areas of Economics of IT and IT-enabled business models and data mining. His research explores questions related to crowds and platforms, pricing and operationalisation of digital goods, B2B contracts, network analytics, and more.

Prior to joining ISB, he taught graduate-level courses in the area of Operations Management and Information Systems at the University of Rochester, and worked in the IT industry for several years at organisations such as Oracle and Novell.

Professor Saha received his MS and PhD in Business Administration from the University of Rochester, New York and B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Rajib Saha
Rajib Saha