• Proceedings of the Korea Technology Innovation Society Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.227-245
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• 2000

Korean firms have attempted to catch up in the aircraft industry during last quarter century. Korean firms have built up their capabilities by moving from parts manufacturing through subassembly to system integration. The number of projects carried out and the intensity of technological effort undertaken by firms strongly influences market position and firm performance. However, successful catching up is not simply dependent on capability building within the firm. The national environment (Porter, 1990) in which firms are located plays a pivotal role. The Korean government has been effective in creating a favorable environ-ment in many areas, but has not been able to replicate this success in the aircraft industry. Opportunities for learning in the aircraft industry have been hampered by the small size of the Korean civilian aircraft market and the sophisticated requirements of military systems. A policy of domestic rivalry in airframe manufacture has created too many firms for such a small market. The ability of Korean firms to catch up in the aircraft industry depends on both the internal capabilities of firms as well as appropriate government policies and the involve- ment of government research institutions and universities over an extended period of time. There have been many studies about the catching up of developing countries in mass production (such as automobile, consumer electronics, and recently DRAM), but few in complex systems, such as aircraft.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.127-142
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• 2001

This paper presents an econometric model for measuring basic research capacity index(BRCI) of each OECD countries and analyses the gap in terms of time lag measured and forecasted in connection with factor analysis and BRCI progress function. Based on the analysis, gross domestic expenditure on R&D(GERD), total R&D personnel higher education expenditure on R&D(HERD) and number of science and technical papers based on SCI are more effective than other factors to BRCI. Also, BRCI progress function shows that 29 years is needed for Korea to catch up the level of German's BRCI of year 1998. But, it's impossible for Korea to catch up US and Japan. Therefore, with restricted scientific resources, Korea's own strategy for strengthening basic research capacity is going to be more important in 21st century.

• Proceedings of the Korea Technology Innovation Society Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.473-492
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• 2001

This paper presents an econometric model for measuring basic research capacity index(BRCI) of each OECD countries and analyses the gap in terms of time lag measured and forecasted in connection with factor analysis and BRCI progress function. Based on the analysis, gross domestic expenditure on R&D(GERD), total R&D personnel, higher education expenditure on R&D(HERD) and number of science and technical papers based on SCI are more effective than other factors to BRCI. Also, BRCI progress function shows that 29 years is needed for Korea to catch up the level of German's BRCI of year 1998. But, it's impossible for Korea to catch up US and Japan. Therefore, with restricted scientific resources, Korea's own strategy for strengthening basic research capacity is going to be more important in 21st century.

• 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 Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.382-395
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• 2002

Metal Injection Molding(MIM) is a technology without any mechanical processing, which is a promising area backed up by nano powder technology developed in late 1990's. The market was about 24 billion U$ in 1999. Many applications are made in process development, uses, powder making, hindering and sintering, of which order is in terms of the number of patents. This technologies are mainly developed by US firms, and applied by Japanese firms. Europe and Korea are still catch-up stage. More efforts should be made in this field because new opportunities are opening, thanks to nano technology.

• The Journal of Small Business Innovation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.53-68
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• 2016

Motivation and activities for technological learning, entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity are driving forces of economic development in Asian countries. In the early stages of technological development, technological learning and entrepreneurship are efficient ways in which to catch up with advanced countries because firms can accumulate skills and knowledge quickly at relatively low risk. In the later stages of technological development, however, innovation and creativity become more important. This study aims to identify a) the factors (learning capabilities) that influence technological learning performance and b) barriers to enhancing innovation capabilities for the creative economy and organizations. The major part of this study is related to learning capabilities in the post-catch-up era. Based on a literature review and observations from Korean experiences, this study proposes a technological learning model composed of various influencing factors on technological learning. Three hypotheses are derived, and data are collected from Korean machine tool manufacturers. Intense interviews with CEOs and R&D directors are conducted using structured questionnaires. Statistical analysis, such as correlation and ANOVA are then carried out. Furthermore, this study addresses how to enhance innovation capabilities to move forward. Innovation enablers and barriers are identified by case studies and policy analysis. The results of the empirical study identify several levels of firms' learning capabilities and activities such as a) stock of technology, b) potential of technical labor, c) explicit technological efforts, d) readiness to learn, e) top management support, f) a formal technological learning system, g) high learning motivation, h) appropriate technology choice, and i) specific goal setting. These learning capabilities determine firms' learning performance, especially in the early stages of development. Furthermore, it is found that the critical factors for successful technological learning vary along the stages of technology development. Throughout the statistical and policy analyses, this study confirms that technological learning can be understood as an intrinsic principle of the technology development process. Firms perform proactive and creative learning in the late stages, while reactive and imitative learning prevails in the early stages. In addition, this study identifies the driving forces or facilitating factors enhancing innovation performance in the post catch-up era. The results of the preliminary case studies and policy analysis show some facilitating factors such as a) the strategic intent of the CEO and corporate culture, b) leadership and change agents, c) design principles and routines, d) ecosystem and collaboration with partners, and e) intensive R&D investment.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.19-40
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• 2013

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) achieved relatively rapid economic growth over the past decade. Sustainable growth among member states, however, is put into question due to macroeconomic challenges, political risk, and vulnerability to external shocks. Developed countries, in contrast, have turned into less labor-intensive technologies to further expand their economies. In this paper, we review the science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies and statuses of the scientific and technological capabilities of the ASEAN member countries. Empirical results based on STI indicators (R&D spending, publications, patents, and knowledge economy indices) reveal considerable variation between the science and technology (S&T) competence and effectiveness of STI policies of ASEAN members. We have categorized nations into clusters according their situations in their S&T productivity. Under the Korean Innovation Model, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Brunei are classified as being in the institutional-building stage, while Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam in the catch up stage, and Singapore in the post-catch up stage. Finally, policy prescriptions on how to enhance the S&T capabilities of the developing ASEAN countries, based on the South Korea development experience, are presented.

• 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.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.117-139
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• 2014

Indigenous innovation is the main strategy for China during 2006 - 20 period. China may hope that indigenous innovation policy will spur on industrial upgrading. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the indigenous innovation policy. The paper begins with the background of the strategy, follows the detailed content of the national strategy, then analyzes how the strategy is implemented. We find that the package of indigenous innovation policy is constructive and efficient for a catch-up economy with clear industry targets but not good for innovation. If China want to be an innovative country, it needs to give market competition more space to incubate and eventually yield increment or disruptive innovation, even radical innovation. Chinese enterprises cannot close themselves off to the global technology system. Only open innovation can give Chinese enterprises the possibility to win in the next wave of innovation in the world and make China an innovative country.

• 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.