Mapping the Inventive Structure in Middle-Low Income Countries—The Patent Network of Colombia

Patentometrics studies in middle-low-income countries is an emergent field. This study aims to unveil the inventive structure of Colombia from 1983–2021 as a pilot case. Applying the co-word analysis network analysis to the IPC (International Patent Classification) subclasses of +2,900 patents granted to inventors/applicants with Colombian affiliation/origin, we constructed the inventive network for three periods 1983–2000, 2001–2010, 2011–2021, and detected highly strategic IPC subclasses. Furthermore, we identify the structural changes by IPC sections and highlight the clustering properties of IPC sections for Colombia, such as C-Chemistry, metallurgy; A-Human necessities; B-Performing operations, transporting; G-Physics; and F-mechanical engineering, lighting, heating, weapons, blasting.