they have an incentive to use their innovations to improve their own services, rather than renting or selling them to rivals，这里renting or rolling 前面是 省略了 they are 吗？有这种使用方法吗？
rather than有二种使用方法，第一种使用方法是作为准并列连词，连接二个相等的句子成分。第二种使用方法是用作复合介词，后接动名词。
1 用作准并列连词的例句：
•Bryson decided toquitrather thanacceptthe new rules. 并列二个不定式
•Iprefercookingwitholiveoilrather thanbutter. 并列二个名词
•Lovers, for example, are generally kept apart by wars or politicalcircumstancesrather thanbysimplemisunderstandings. 并列二个介词短语
•And two whotipthescalesto theangelicside areproposingto use bombing to plantforestsrather thandestroythem.
•There is no important theory-based reason why these countriesrather thanothers wereselected. 并列二个主语
•Mr OConnor, however,stressedthe need for moreeffectivepolicingrather thanpolice numbers.并列二个介词宾语
•Itpresumesthatrealityisdynamicrather thanstatic, and
thereforeseeksrelationshipsbetween ideas, toaimatsynthesis. 并列二个表语形容词
•She useslemonrather thanvinegarin hersaladdressings. 并列二个宾语
2 用作介词的例句：
•Rather thandriving around all day looking for somewhere TOPark, why dont you take abusintotown?
网友的句子中，rather than被用作复合介词，后接动名词构成介词短语，在句中作状语。
