Absorption trajectories of 4IR technologies: evidence from Korea

This study reveals the trajectories of Korean companies that employ technologies related to 4IR. The data were based on the 2017 and 2018 corporate surveys conducted by Korea Statistics’ Microdata Integrated Service. The network analysis methodology was applied, with a focus on visualizing the relationships between nine technologies. The results are as follows; First, there were differences between the corporate technology absorption trajectories from the integrated perspective and from the perspective of the detailed application fields. Second, the Internet of Things occupied a greater proportion, compared to other technologies, in several technology absorption trajectories. This seems to reflect the hyper-connectivity of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Third, hyper-intelligence appears to be at a nascent stage, in terms of utilization with other technologies. This paper primarily contributes empirical evidence to existing research on technological trajectories with unique data and results, which is generally depending on patents data, creating a foundation for further theoretical and practical applications by scholars and managers.