Think of innovation, and the first name that comes to mind has a lot to do with technology. And this is rightly illustrated in the list of 100 top innovators around the globe issued by Thomson Reuters.
The industry breakout suggests that the manufacturing-based industries, due to their focus on creating and protecting new products via intellectual property rights, control the rankings.
From the use in smartphones to computers and automobiles, semiconductor and electronic components industry stole the show with 18 percent corporate representation. Computer hardware sector followed with 13 companies in the list of 100 innovators for 2012.
Whether a manufacturing concern or scientific research institute, all have one thing in common: the honoree are firms that innovate and then protect these inventions.
While the opponents might refuse to nod heads in agreement, one indicator of innovation being the keystone of economic growth and success is the rising trend in filing and granting of patents. The recent torrent of smartphone patents is a sign of the industry engaging in innovation, rather than broken system, rightly pointed out by the Director of United States Patent and Trademark Office.
However, besides the latest clamour over Apple versus Samsung patent, top 100 prolific innovators identified are based on the proprietary methodology that in essence also rewards global filings. The criteria for making to the top 100 global innovators list encompass sizeable amount of innovation, patent application success rate, global reach and global influence.
Geographically, the catalogue of innovators has majority of US companies, followed by Japanese and French counterparts. Another major beneficiary has been South Korean computer hardware and semiconductor companies, the only other Asian player after Japan.
Well Chinese seem to keep it all to themselves! The absence of China from the list of leading innovators around the globe speaks volumes about their national focus in protecting their inventions; only six percent of what they do is filed for outside of China!
Meanwhile many North American companies made foray for the first time. Part of this has to do with the turmoil in European countries and the shift in their industries. That said the US is predisposed to be recognised in the fields like telephony, computing, the internet and entertainment and the smartphone wars due to its focus on R&D spending.

Comments

Comments are closed.