My analysis focuses on two main observations. First, many competing schools of thoughts are currently present in economics with no predominant paradigm. We are experiencing an era of pluralism (Davis J Econ Methodol 14(3):275–290, <CitationRef CitationID="CR24">2007</CitationRef>, Camb J Econ 32:249–366, <CitationRef CitationID="CR25">2008</CitationRef>; Colander <CitationRef CitationID="CR19">2000</CitationRef>; Colander...</citationref></citationref></citationref>

We define international technological specialisation (ITS) as the technological performance of a country in a specific technology relative to its overall international technological performance. This paper uses patent applications and patent citations at the European Patent Office for five...