Evolutionary Cycles of Quantum Technologies for Supporting Innovation Management

The evolution of quantum technologies can play a main role for next technological change having main implications for industrial and corporate change. The goal of this study is to develop a technology analysis for examining and forecasting the evolutionary phases of some critical quantum technologies. Method applies S-shaped curves based on patent data to analyze the evolution of quantum technologies over the course of time. Findings reveal that the evolutionary cycle of new quantum innovations has the technological characteristic of a shorter emergence phase (period) and a relative weight of growth (22.78%) and maturity (25.21%) phases higher than technologies originated decades ago. Results here can provide theoretical implications to explain dynamics and structure of the evolution of path-breaking innovations that support the technological forecasting and innovation management of quantum innovations having critical aspects for decisions of R&D investments in firms to develop and adopt new quantum technologies that one of the major sources of next industrial change