Abstract
Purpose - Apple is a representative company of technological innovation (TI) and management. It has launched new and innovative products since 1977, and many companies and business schools around the world have attempted to learn about the success story of Apple’s innovation. However, most previous research works on Apple’s innovation have been based on qualitative approaches such as experts’ opinions. Such studies offer a subjective point of view. By contrast, in this paper we study the TI and forecasting of Apple by analyzing its patent applications, which is an objective approach to examining the innovation of Apple from a technological perspective.Design/methodology/approach - TI is an important issue concerning technology management for companies and governments. To examine Apple’s TI, we analyze all applied patents and construct analytical models according to three approaches. First, we build statistical models using the time series regression and multiple linear regression methods to create a technology map. Second, we cluster all Apple’s patents to find its vacant technology domain. Lastly, we use social network analysis to search for technologies central to Apple’s future. Findings - Our study shows the technological trends and relations between Apple’s technologies. This research finds vacant technology areas and central technologies for Apple’s TI.Practical implications - Using statistical and machine learning methods, we analyze all Apple’s patents in order to predict the firm’s future technologies. This research contributes to examining the TI of Apple. Therefore, the results of the patent analysis can highlight the technological opportunities for Apple’s TI.Originality/value - Traditional TI models have been based on qualitative methods. Previous investigations of Apple’s TI have also relied on traditional analytical approaches. In this paper, however, we develop a quantitative and objective approach for examining Apple’s TI.
Purpose - Apple is a representative company of technological innovation (TI) and management. It has launched new and innovative products since 1977, and many companies and business schools around the world have attempted to learn about the success story of Apple’s innovation. However, most previous research works on Apple’s innovation have been based on qualitative approaches such as experts’ opinions. Such studies offer a subjective point of view. By contrast, in this paper we study the TI and forecasting of Apple by analyzing its patent applications, which is an objective approach to examining the innovation of Apple from a technological perspective.Design/methodology/approach - TI is an important issue concerning technology management for companies and governments. To examine Apple’s TI, we analyze all applied patents and construct analytical models according to three approaches. First, we build statistical models using the time series regression and multiple linear regression methods to create a technology map. Second, we cluster all Apple’s patents to find its vacant technology domain. Lastly, we use social network analysis to search for technologies central to Apple’s future. Findings - Our study shows the technological trends and relations between Apple’s technologies. This research finds vacant technology areas and central technologies for Apple’s TI.Practical implications - Using statistical and machine learning methods, we analyze all Apple’s patents in order to predict the firm’s future technologies. This research contributes to examining the TI of Apple. Therefore, the results of the patent analysis can highlight the technological opportunities for Apple’s TI.Originality/value - Traditional TI models have been based on qualitative methods. Previous investigations of Apple’s TI have also relied on traditional analytical approaches. In this paper, however, we develop a quantitative and objective approach for examining Apple’s TI.
