• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.109-139
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• 2013

The objective of this study attempt to examine the prospect whether conventional catch-up theory is also applicable to knowledge intensive industry like Open Source Software(OSS), and the implication from this study can be working as a stepping stone for followers. To do this, we conducted Korean SW firm's interview, and examined U.S. firm's archivings and second source of informations by means of empirical study. We use the inflection point of paradigm shift and difference of technology regime as a framework for empirical study of catch-up process between U.S. and Korean OSS firms. We find that conventional catch-up theory is no more applicable to explain OSS firm's catch-up processes. We also identified the elements that will accelerate the catch-up processes more effectively from the comparison of technology regime between U.S. and Korean OSS firms. As a result, we diagnose the limitation of conventional catch-up theory and discuss the new technology regime which will, ironically, promote the catch-up processes from the condition of low appropriation.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-131
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• 2005

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.

• Proceedings of the Technology Innovation Conference
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• 2004.02a
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• pp.288-315
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• 2004

This paper has examined the leapfrogging thesis with the case of catch-up in digital TV by the Korean firms. Despite the disadvantages implied by the technological regime of digital TV and the risks facing early entrants in trajectory choice and initial market formation, the Korean firms had achieved a 'path-creating catch-up' in the sense they chose a different path from the Japanese forerunning firms. As they have been closely watching the technological trends and the standard setting process, there was less risk of choosing the right or wrong technological trajectory. Also, despite the lack of sufficient capability and core knowledge base, the Korean firms had some complementary asset, such as the experience of producing analogue TV, and were able to develop the prototype digital TV and the ASIC chips, given the accesses to the foreign knowledge via overseas R&D posts and acquisition of a foreign company. To secure the initial market size, the Korean targeted the US market from the beginning, and their sources for competitive advantages were the speedy setting up the production system for mass production of products at the initial stage. The initial failure of the Japanese firms and the success of the Korean firms do suggest that the period of paradigm shift, like this toward digital technology, can serve as a window of opportunity for late-comers while penalizing the forerunner.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.72-82
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• 2016

In Korea, engineering education based on industry demand is highly emphasized; the survey of industry demand or company satisfaction is frequently conducted. Although engineering schools have often attempted and implemented the reform of engineering education, it was found that company satisfaction with college education was always low. In this context, this study aimed to find the cause of the low satisfaction. To this end, the social background for the active survey of industry demand and company satisfaction, and its progress were investigated. The findings of this study showed that the survey of industry demand in Korea has limitations in improving the quality of college education or developing its future demand, contrary to its intention. This industry demand based approach has its historical and social root in the Korea-specific model of the catching-up style industry development and technology innovation. Therefore, it is difficult to establish appropriate academy-industry relations and discover future vision based on this model. This study presents a new way to understand and develop the future-oriented industrial and social demand, not just arguing for the uselessness of the survey of industry demand in engineering education.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.49-67
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• 2009

As technological capabilities have enhanced, the patterns of innovation activities of latecomer firms changed to post catch-up mode. The purpose of this research is to analyze the post catch-up innovation patterns of technology-intensive small and medium firms of Korea. The innovation patterns can be divided into three types: the technology deepening innovation type, the new technology based innovation type and the architectural innovation type. The characteristics of the technology deepening innovation type are cumulative technological learning and the integration of new generic technology and existing technologies. The characteristics of new technology based type are the acquisition and revelations of new basic knowledges from former incubating organizations such as large firms and universities. The characteristics of the architectural innovation type are the learning of system architecture knowledge from former organization and interactive learning with user firms. These post catch up innovations also have some general characteristics. They effectively exploited the windows of opportunities which are opened in the middle of technological paradigm change.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.85-113
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• 2013

This study analyzes the government-funded research institutions as players which derive inner transition based on technology, policy and market environment changes. In this study, the main case is KRICT(Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology) which tries to make post catch-up innovation in the organization. This institution has attempted to overcome the limitation such as change of technology paradigm and PBS(Project Based System) since 2000's. Responding to the needs of technology convergence and innovation by the paradigm change, KRICT has reformed organization and R&D management system prospectively. And this institution sets the goal like development of natural friendly technologies, small and medium-sized business support, and providing countermeasures of social problems. This case shows possibility of continuous innovation. There are some structural limitation like budget restriction, multiple organization structure, and biased quantitative assessment, but endogenous efforts of government -funded institutions make the new paradigm of post catch-up innovation.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.700-716
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• 2010

This paper examines the development of smelting reduction process in POSCO from 1990 to 2007 with the perspective of post catch-up technological innovation. POSCO paid attention to smelting reduction process as a sort of next-generation iron and steel technology, and implemented COREX (coal ore reduction) by the cooperation with V$\"{o}$oest. In addition to this, POSCO started to develop FINEX (fine iron ore reduction) which can use abundant powder ore, and FINEX was developed through model plant, pilot plant, demo plant, and commercial facility. POSCO came up to innovation leader beyond fast follower by securing almost technologies concerning FINEX. The case of smelting reduction process shows various characteristics including appropriate technological choice, successive scale-up, spiral development system, complementary technological cooperation, long-tenn investment, the existence of top management's leadership, and Korean government's support in early stage. This case can be interpreted as a path-revealing innovation in the middle of technological paradigm change.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.177-204
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• 2011

Recently the government expands its investment in basic research to overcome the limit of technology catch-up strategy. At this point, Korea's R&D supporting system needs to be evaluated whether it is appropriate to support creative basic research. Therefore, this study approaches to analyze the cases of basic research supporting system about the characteristics of basic research and necessary systematic requirements. This research discussed the necessity for introducing the paradigm of policy management system of basic research. Also it found that the performance of basic research is very important element for the effectiveness of research itself as well as continuous appropriacy of the system.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.36-53
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• 2015

The rise of latecomer countries across the world directs academic attention to their catching-up and innovation processof seizing technological opportunities and combining internal and external knowledge. Different from the developed economies as well as the newly industrialized economies, China presents a special innovation environment, wherein its technology regime, market opportunities, and institutions are complex and the globalization trend affects competition in a broader way. In thiscontext, we clarify and extend the framework of "secondary innovation". This framework describes the dynamics of those with relatively poor resources and capabilities in their efforts to capture the values of mature/emerging technology or business models by acquiringthem from across borders and then adapting to catching-up contexts. Such processes, differentiated from original innovation that involves the whole process from R&D to commercialization, has become a prevailing regime during paradigm shifts. In particular, unlike the traditional catch-up literature that focuses more on technology, the secondary innovation framework inclusively contains both technology and business model innovation, and puts forward the co-evolution between the two elements, which is more applicable to China's context. In accordance, we also provide implications towards fulfilling the goal of building an innovation-driven nation.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-23
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• 2016

The growth of information and communication technology (ICT) has led to a rapid of business paradigm shift incurred in the creation of new social/market value, changes of a value chain and elements producing a value creation, and enlargement of the scope of market competition. It leads to the change and evolution of industrial structure, requiring innovations of policy and institution. However, most studies that have focused on the effect of policy and institution on innovation are based on thick description and qualitative evidence, while paying little attention to these linkages in an empirical way. Hence this study has attempted to empirically analyze policy and institutional factors affecting innovation performance, particularly attention to ICT industry in OECD countries. The findings derived from the empirical analysis provide important implications for catch-up countries in relation to the innovations of policy and institution for effective innovation system and start-up ecosystem.