A Knowledge Broker in a Regional Innovation System: A Case of Gyeonggi Province in Korea

Many actors are involved in the development of regional innovation systems (RIS) such as universities, private firms, research institutions, governments, and public agencies. In a country like Korea, where the central government takes more than 95% of the total government R&D budget, the role of regional authorities in science, technology, and innovation are fairly limited, although in recent years some regional governments have tried to promote innovation activity in their localities. This paper looks into the Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion (GSTEP) in Gyeonggi Province and examines its emerging role and achievements in innovation policymaking. It was found out that GSTEP engages in knowledge brokering with the purpose of helping firms participate in regional technological innovation processes. The knowledge brokering roles of this regional authority are described along with their implications for regional innovation policy. This study aims for a deeper understanding of the nature of the regional authority's role in a RIS through the case study of regional actors transitioning from being subordinators to becoming active participants with greater participation on policymaking and implementation.