Technometrics is a discipline that measures and evaluates technological change. Having important policy implications, it has become a distinct field of investigation since the second half of the 20th century. It is characterised by the combination of several disciplines, such as econometrics, engineering and applied mathematics, mathematical and multivariate statistics for big data analyses. The technometrics team in ECOOM has focused mainly on patent-related indicators for mapping and monitoring technological development in Flanders and in benchmark regions across the world.
The following sections give some more insight into the use of patents as indicators of technology development.
