Mapping the relations between technology, product, and service: Case of Apple inc.

Nowadays, innovations of technologies, products, and services occur interdependently. Moreover, the innovations are developed by various actors, not by a company alone. Due to the complexity of innovation ecosystem, companies have difficulties in managing and monitoring its complex and interdependent innovation ecosystem. In this manner, this paper suggests a comprehensive network named as “T-P-S map” which is a framework for exploring the connection of technologies, products, and services. As an illustration, a case of Apple is represented, illustrating relationships between the Apple incorporation´s patents, product information especially iPhone series, and service applications in the App store. To define the linkages, patent analysis and text analysis are employed. The resulted network will be interpreted in three ways and it can give some managerial information.