The dynamics of global R&D collaboration networks in ICT: Does China catch up with the US?

The purpose of this study is to identify and characterize the structure and dynamics of global R&D collaboration networks in ICT by analyzing cross-country co-patents, with a special focus on the role of China. We employ a Social Network Analysis (SNA) perspective, using information on more than 77 thousand co-patents from 2001-2015. These co-patents are disaggregated by three time periods and four ICT subsectors.