A Comparative Analysis between Embodied and Disembodied Technological Knowledge Flow-Structure : The Case of Korean Manufacturing during 1980s

체화.비체화 지식흐름구조의 비교분석 : - 1980년대 한국 제조업을 대상으로 -

The interactive diffusion of technological knowledge across industries is reckoned as the principal determinant of the industrial competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy. The flow of technological knowledge takes place through two major channels, embodied and disembodied ones. This paper analyzes, from the dynamic perspective, the functional role and changing relationship of major Korean industries in terms of embodied and disembodied technological knowledge flow-structures during 1980s. We measure, as a proxy, the knowledge by the number of R&D researchers. The inter-industrial embodied and disembodied knowledge flows are measured by the input-output technique and the technological similarity is quantified according to the R&D researchers'academic background, respectively. Based on the comparative and correlation analysis between the two knowledge flow-structures, it is found that there exist, albeit not striking, both similarities and differences between them. However, interestingly and indicatively, we find that the two flow structures become more similar as time goes by. Some explanatory comments and policy implications are presented.