Compare methods
Review your selected methods side by side; rows that differ are highlighted.
| Horizon Scanning× | Patent Analysis× | |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Science Technology Studies | Science Technology Studies |
| Family | Process / pipeline | Process / pipeline |
| Year of origin≠ | 2009 | 1994 |
| Originator≠ | William J. Sutherland, Effie Amanatidou, and the foresight/scanning community | Francis Narin (patent bibliometrics) and the patent-analytics community |
| Type≠ | Systematic search-and-detection process | Document-based technological-intelligence process |
| Seminal source≠ | Sutherland, W. J., & Woodroof, H. J. (2009). The need for environmental horizon scanning. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 24(10), 523-527. DOI ↗ | Narin, F. (1994). Patent bibliometrics. Scientometrics, 30(1), 147-155. DOI ↗ |
| Aliases | Environmental scanning, Weak-signal detection, Emerging-issues analysis | Patent analytics, Patent bibliometrics, Patent landscaping |
| Related | 4 | 4 |
| Summary≠ | Horizon scanning is the systematic examination of information to detect early signs of potentially important developments—weak signals, emerging issues, and wild cards—before they become obvious or fully formed. By surveying a wide range of sources at the edge of current attention, it gives decision-makers advance warning of opportunities and threats and supplies the raw material for foresight, scenario building, and anticipatory policy. | Patent analysis, or patanalytics, mines the documents and metadata in patent databases to generate technological intelligence. Because patents are structured, dated, classified, and citation-linked records of inventive activity, analysing patent counts, citations, classification codes, applicants, and text reveals who is innovating where, in which technologies, how fields connect, and how the technological landscape is shifting—evidence that feeds competitive intelligence, R&D strategy, and foresight. |
| ScholarGateDataset ↗ |
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