Network Variations at the Intersection of National Capability Orientation and Technological Path Dependence—Patent Citation Network Analysis of the Hydrogen Energy and Nano-tech Sectors

How do national factors intersect in network formation in different emerging sectors? Scholars have focused on these regarding networking phenomena: the effects of national and sectoral factors. In spite of their theoretical contributions, attempts have been neglected in identifying and/or linking the factors from both national and sectoral innovation systems within the networks. This paper examines the cross-country differences within a sector, and the cross-sectoral differences within a country, as the consequences of sectoral–national intersections. Longitudinal patent citation networks in two emerging sectors, the hydrogen energy sector and nano-tech sector have been analysed for a time period from 2004 to 2012, in four diverse developed countries. The results convey that the two sectors demonstrate significantly varied networking activities, notably influenced by national capability orientations. On the other hand, cross-country differences in networking activities are also varied by technological path dependence.