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Structural characteristics of China's COVID-19 patent cooperation network at the province, city, and patent applicant levels

Authors :
Wei Xia
Zilin Wang
Jindou Zhang
Jianping Yu
Liping Qiu
Zedong Yang
Source :
Frontiers in Public Health, Vol 10 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2022.

Abstract

The Chinese Plan has provided an important model for the global fight against COVID-19 since its outbreak. The present study describes the structural characteristics of China's COVID-19 patent cooperation network at the province, city, and applicant levels by using social network analysis based on data from the Incopat global patent database since 2020, which helps to clarify the current technology accumulation in this field in China, and provide patent information support for the scientific efforts to fight against COVID-19. The findings are as follows: First, the inter-regional cooperation level in China's COVID-19 patent cooperation network shows a decreasing trend from eastern to central to western regions. At the inter-applicant cooperation level, kinship-based cooperation is the strongest, business-based cooperation has the widest scope, while proximity-based cooperation exists throughout these two main models of cooperation. Second, coastal provinces and cities occupy a core position in the network, and play an important role in utilizing structural holes and bridging. Patent applicants with high centrality are mostly firms. Research institutes and universities mainly play the role of bridges. Third and lastly, there is no large number of cliques at the province and city levels. However, there is a tendency for cliques to develop at the applicant level. Hence, actions are needed to prevent the development of information barriers.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22962565
Volume :
10
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Public Health
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.9aff7eebbd404cf3b2963e4d8f06d5be
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.985576