Identifying firm-specific technology opportunities in a supply chain: Link prediction analysis in multilayer networks

•We identify firm-specific technology opportunities in supply chains.•Technology correlations of different echelons of supply chains are considered.•A firm-centered IPC multilayer network is constructed for analysis.•A link prediction algorithm based on multilayer networks is proposed.•Technology opportunities are evaluated by indicators based on multilayer networks. Although technology opportunity discovery (TOD) for a target firm has considered the firm’s internal characteristics such as technological capabilities and R&D directions, the firm’s external environment, especially the supply chains it is in, is generally ignored. This paper proposes a novel approach to identifying firm-specific technology opportunities in each echelon of a multi-echelon supply chain, with the interactions among the technologies of different echelons considered. The proposed approach comprises four steps: 1) dividing the supply chain echelons and collecting patents for each echelon; 2) constructing a firm-centered International Patent Classification (IPC) multilayer network of the multi-echelon supply chain; 3) recommending IPC codes in each echelon of the supply chain for the target firm using a link prediction algorithm; and 4) evaluating technology opportunities to support the firm’s R&D decisions with the indicators of technology importance, technology maturity, and technology impact. Using the General Motors Company (GM) in the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) supply chain as a case study, it is verified that the method can identify technology opportunities for GM efficiently and effectively. This work proposes an innovative method that identifies firm-specific technology opportunities from a supply chain perspective, and pioneers to apply multilayer networks to TOD.