Making a Technological Catch-up: Barriers and Opportunities

Lee, Keun The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2005 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.13 No.2

This paper has discussed several issues regarding the barriers and opportunities for technological catch-up by the late-comer countries and firms. As one of the barriers to technological catch-up, the paper emphasizes the uncertainty involved with the third stage of learning how to design. The barriers arise because as the forerunner firms refuse to sell or give license to successful catching-up firms who thus have to design the product by themselves. The paper discusses how to overcome this barrier. It also notes that if the crisis of design technology is a push factor for leapfrogging, arrival of new techno-economic paradigm can serve as a pull factor for leapfrogging, serving as a winder of opportunity. The, it emphasized the two risks with leapfrogging, namely the risk of choosing right technology or standards and the risk of creating initial markets, and how to overcome these risks. It discusses how to overcome these risks in leapfrogging, and differentiates diverse forms of knowledge accesses. Then, the paper takes up the issue of whether there can be a single common or several models for catch-up. A common element of catching-up is to enter new markets segments quickly, to manufacture with high levels of engineering excellence, and to be first-to-market by means of the best integrative designs. This observation is supported by the fact that Korea and Taiwan has achieved higher levels of technological capabilities in such sectors as featured by short cycle time of technology. The possibility of two alternative models for catch-up is also discussed in terms of the key difference between Korean and Taiwan, especially in the position toward the source of foreign knowledge and the paths taken toward the final goal of OBM. Taiwan followed the sequential steps of OEM, ODM and OBN, in collaboration or integration with the MNCs. Korean chaebols jumped from OEM directly to OBM even without consolidating design technology.

Culture and Innovation : Development of EDI Systems in the Korean Automotive Industryv

Moon, Yong-Gap The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2002 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.10 No.1

This paper presents research linking national culture and innovation. The research identifies how key features of Korean culture, collectivism and hierarchical authoritarianism, affect technological innovation. This perspective casts new light on cultural research that, while generally confirming national culture-innovation ties at the organization level, has had less success accounting for culture barriers to innovation in collectivist nations, especially at the interorganizational level. The data for this study was obtained from interviews and written sources. The paper introduces the concept of the social shaping of technology, with which the influence of culture on technological innovation is analyzed, and highlights the development of EDI systems in the collectivist Korean society. It draws attention to the interorganizational basis of collectivism and authoritarianism in the technology innovation process. Finally, Korean innovation systems are questioned, and some negative effects of the collectivist Korean culture at the interorganizational level are discussed.

Regional Innovation Policy and Venturing Clusters in Japan

Kendo Masayuki The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2006 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.14 No.2

This paper reviews regional innovation policy in Japan. 'Technopolis' policy, the first technology-based regional development policy in the world, was implemented in Japan. Nonetheless, technology-based regional endogenous development did not occur. Then, regional technology transfer was pursued. In order to make use of universities and public research institutes in a region for development, university-industry collaboration and cross-over, such as university spin-offs, were promoted. Within this background, new technology-based regional development policies have been introduced based on a cluster approach. These policies are the knowledge cluster Initiative and the industrial cluster program. However, existing companies have difficulty in carrying out innovation. This paper argues that a cluster to create new start-ups that carry out innovation is also needed and explains a new concept of venturing cluster. Based on this new cluster concept, this paper analyzes the situation of Sapporo in Japan, where many university spin-offs are being created in the biotechnology field.

Clustering Patterns in the Manufacturing Sectors of Japan

Carvajal, Carlos A.,Watanabe, Chihiro The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2004 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.12 No.2

Japan's economic clusters are characterized by their high level of diversity. In essence, Japanese economic clusters are not limited to single industries; they comprise numerous manufacturing industries and firms which cluster in specific heterogeneous economic zones, vice political boundaries. Japanese manufacturing sectors are showing an increased level of diversity, resulting in the spread of experience and knowledge among clusters, and sustained growth at the point of industrial structural transformation. Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) proposed the creation of intellectual clusters for the purpose of promoting research and development(R&D) activities resulting in the stimulation and development of new technologies. The Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) is also proposing the industrial cluster plan with the aim to promote the local rebirth and revitalization of the Japanese industrial sector. This paper proposes a methodological analysis which will result in the integration of the two policies currently implemented by the Japanese government. If the current policies are not coordinated and integrated, artificial firms and sectors will continue to hamper innovation and discourage competitiveness, which will ultimately result in Japan's loss of economic opportunities within Asia. In the worst case, failure to act on current economic deficiencies illuminated in this paper could cost Japan its position as an Asian economic leader.

Evolution of Inter-firm Technology Transfer and Technological Capability Formation of Local Parts Firms in the Thai Automobile Industry

Techakanont, K.,Terdudomtham, T. The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2004 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.12 No.2

This paper investigates the evolution of 'inter-firm' technology transfer in the Thai automobile industry, which has gradually been integrated into global production network of some specific automotive models(one-ton pickups). This paper discusses the linkage between the role of automobile assemblers in transferring technology and the way their strategic changes bring about heightened demands on the technological capacity of suppliers and the contents of technology transfer. With higher competition at the global level, local suppliers are required to improve their technical and managerial skills, especially in the area of 'product engineering' capability. The authors examine the ways local firms have adapted to these changes in their environments, as well as the ways they utilize inter-firm relationship with automobile assemblers as a means to improve their own technological capabilities. The dynamic process of capability formation in local parts firms, through intensive efforts and learning inducements brought about by inter-firm relationships, are also discussed.

Technology Licensing and Licensee Firms' Profits : Empirical Examination

Kim, Young-Jun The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2003 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.11 No.2

This study empirically examines the relationship between technology licensing and licetnsee firms' profitability. A significant positive effect of licensing on profitability is generally demonstrated in both the short run and the long run. Further, the magnitude of positive effect is bigger in the long run than that in the short run. The paper suggest that, for firms, aggressive management strategy of collaborating with technology holders through licensing agreements is beneficial. It also argues that transferred technology requires time to be implemented, modified and mastered better by companies.

An International Comparison of Technological Systems : The Case of CNC Machine Tools in Korea, Sweden, and U.S.A.

Sung, Tae-Kyung,Carlsson, Bo The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2004 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.12 No.2

Focusing on a product, this paper reconstructs the concept of technological systems first introduced by Carlsson and Stankiewicz (1991). Based on the model and our earlier works, we compare the salient features of technological systems for computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tools in Korea, Sweden, and the United States.. We also try to measure the performance of the systems in an international comparison. Major findings are as follows: (1) The length of 'learning period' for local (national) technological system is substantial, even though it is a catching-up case. (2) The key success factor of the technological system appears to be the connectivity among various actors or infrastructures, rather than just the existence or formation of those. (3) In three countries' experience, the government played an important role in the formation of each own technological system. (4) The performance of Korea's technological system for CNC machine tools during the past two decades(1981-97) seems to be better than that of Sweden and the U.S. Lastly, many policy implication are presented.

A New Pattern of Technology Transfer in Rural China: Triple Helix of Academy-agriculture-government Relations in Baoji City

Tu, Jun,Gu, Shulin,Wu, Guisheung The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2005 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.13 No.2

During the transformation of the agro-technology extension in rural China, many new Policy experiments are emerging to rebuild the lost linkages and to improve technology transfer with the system and among systems. Applying the Triple Helix Model of academy-agriculture-government relations, this paper explores a new pattern of technology transfer with the case of BaojiCity. The authors interpret the mechanism of 'Courtyards for Agro-experts', as well as the comparison between different types of courtyards. This article concludes that the Triple Helix in the agro-sector improves technology transfer and accelerates knowledge-based regional development. In the interest of farmers there should also be concern over reducing inequity the reform.

Analysis on the Multi-technology Capabilities of Korea and Taiwan Using Patent Bibliometrics

Hwang Jung-Tae,Kim Byung-Keun The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2006 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.14 No.2

This paper explores multi-technology capabilities between Korea and Taiwan by analyzing the pattern of inventive activities concerning technology fusion by using patent bibliometrics. Although two countries exhibit a similar level of invention activities and high degree of specialization in emerging technologies measured by the number and technological fields of their US patents, innovation systems in two countries differ. MTCs (multi-technology corporations) are stronger in Korea national innovation system while small innovative firms play important roles in Taiwan national innovation system. Technology fusion has been an important source of technological innovation and it suggests possible advantage for the Korean innovation system because it is a common belief that global size firms - most of them are multi-technology corporations - can perform better in multi-technology fusion and scientific research. The result of patent bibliometrics suggests rather complex answers to the belief Even though Korea shows slight advantage, it may not be ascribed to the large MTCs.

Lessons from the Design of Innovation Systems for Rural Industrial Clusters in India

Abrol, Dinesh The Korean Society for Technology Manageme and Eco 2004 Journal of Technology Innovation Vol.12 No.2

Practical experience with technology implementation of the upgrading of very small village industries in India suggests that innovation failures are not merely a result of the lack of proper interaction between the users and suppliers of technologies under implementation, but also a result of adoption of the primitive conception of competitiveness in their practice of technology development. The approach of promoting the small producers to become individually competitive by using labour intensive, small-scale intermediate technologies is proving to be totally inadequate for the achievement of technological efficiency in a dynamic sense. Guided by a primitive notion of competitiveness, the suppliers of intermediated technologies are thus being led into limiting their technological efforts in the sectors of direct interest to the rural industrial clusters to the transitional objectives of mainly poverty alleviation. Consequently they have not been able to target the small producers of these village industries for the objectives of business growth. This paper posits that under competitive conditions the self-employed small producer has not only to come together for access to resources, but also has to emerge as a multi-sectoral collective of producers, co-operating in production. With the aim to draw lessons that are generic and have policy implications for the development of innovation systems for local economy based rural industrial clusters and value chains, the author analyses in this paper the experience of innovation in technological systems for the sectors of leather, fruits and vegetable processing and agro processing by the People's Science Movement with the help of the Ministry of Science and Technology and other sectoral ministries in India where rural poor were required to pool the resources and capabilities for raising the scale and scope of their collective production organization.