Prominence of corporate science in quantum computing research

• Published in: Technological forecasting & social change Vol. 212; p. 123949
• Main Authors: Ko, Hyunmin, Kwon, Seokbeom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.03.2025
• Subjects: Complementary asset; Corporate research; Quantum computing; Research impact; Resource-based view; Quantum computing; Complementary asset; Research impact; Resource-based view; Corporate research
• ISSN: 0040-1625
• DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123949

In this study, we empirically examined the growing prominence of corporate science and its influence on quantum computing research. An analysis of approximately 30,000 research papers on quantum computing revealed that firms are increasingly publishing scientifically impactful research compared to noncorporate entities in this field. Additional analyses of text data from research article abstracts using topic modeling indicated that corporate research is concentrated on prominent topics such as quantum computing for Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence and quantum algorithms, attracting increasing scholarly attention. In contrast, non-corporate research has been relatively dispersed across various topics. Drawing on the Resource-Based View and insights from an interview with a field expert, we theorize that with secured access to unique and rare resources for quantum computing research, corporate researchers are better positioned to experiment and iterate on novel ideas than their noncorporate counterparts. The publication of these research outcomes provides strategic advantages without compromising their appropriability. Our findings have implications for science policymakers and corporate innovation strategists, contributing to the literature on the role of corporate research in scientific progress. •Corporate papers in quantum computing show greater scientific impact compared to non-corporate work.•Firms focus on key topics, like ML/AI and quantum algorithms, while non-corporate research remains broad.•Expert insights and Resource-Based View suggest firms gain competitive benefits from publishing quantum research.