• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.47-77
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• 2017

This paper critically examines research trends on the relationship between technological innovation and economic growth in Korea. There are different views on the role of innovation in economic growth including Exogenous and Endogenous Growth, National Innovation System, Technological Capabilities, Economic Catch-up discourses and so on. According to these theoretical discourses, existing studies about Korea are reviewed in a critical way and then future research work is proposed through such a critical review and reflection.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.75-106
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• 2015

The primary goal of this paper is to explore the microeconomic foundation of Korean firms' adoption of foreign technologies. The paper also reviews the overall trend of international technology transfers to Korea. The period covered in this paper is Korea's high growth era, from the 1960s to the 1990s. The works of this paper center on the two questions of what characterizes foreign technologies which had been imported through licensing contracts, and which driving forces expedite technology adoption by firms. The Korean experience provides the context of success in the catch-up growth. The co-movement of technology imports with capital goods imports manifests Korea's effort to improve the technical efficiency toward the world frontier. Underlying this trend are firms' decisions to adopt new technologies. The paper shows that firms respond proactively to wage increases by adopting newer technologies and thus, in turn, increasing employment, which implies the existence of a virtuous interactive mechanism among these factors.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.174-200
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• 2002

Technological capabilities of POSCO (Pohang Iron & Steel Co.) have been developed through acquisition, catch-up, and generation stage. In 1970s standardized operation technologies were acquired based on Japan's technological cooperation. The prime route of technological acquisition was overseas training and operation technologies were articulated by mock and real operation. In 1980s POSCO focused to catch-up advanced technologies through in-house R&D activities. Technological informations were broadly accumulated, task force teams were constructed for important technological tasks, and the scope of technological innovation covered nearly all fields. In 1990s POSCO launched long-term projects based on the large-scale investment and challenged the new fronts of steel technologies. Frontier technologies such as smelting reduction and thin slab casting were early commercialized and new technological concepts were emerged. In conclusion, this article suggests some implications on the development of technological capabilities in Korea.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2009

Flow rate of the power steering oil pump is affected by oil temperature, engine rpm and pressure of pump. In this paper, considering those conditions, approximate model expressed by flow rate characteristics between hydraulic power steering oil pump and steering gear is proposed. Oil pump displacement is considered to be 9.6cc/rev. which is adapted to mid size car. Flow rate of the oil pump is predicted from the proposed model and compared with experimental data. And catch-up is also predicted in each steering wheel speed and is compared with experimental results.

• 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.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2006

This paper analyzes the technical efficiencies of 40 Korean system integration firms using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity indices. Technical efficiencies on average had been decreased over the five year period and the efficiency difference between best practice firms and catch-up firms had been increased during this period, meaning that the industry structure has become matured and the possibilities for catch-up firms to be efficient are not remained so much. The differences in efficiency by the differences in ownership structures are statistically significant. It implies that the efficiencies of group-affiliated firms have come from benefits such as the captive market umbrellas, not from their own management competencies. In addition, the technical efficiency is highly correlated with captive market sales, information productivity, sales per employees, rates of value added, returns on invested capital, and EBITDA.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.79-102
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• 2009

This study reviews the issue of public interests of technologies required in industrial technology policy as well as the demand for changes in industrial technology policy as result of the migration from catch-up to post catch-up innovation system. In fact, the importance of public interests which served as the rationale for government intervention in industrial technology policy have gradually faded, which invited controversies over the legitimacy and effectiveness of government intervention in promoting specific technologies or industries. Today, the existing policy framework has to change to correspond to the post catch-up environment which requires creative technology development. In this context, the Korean government needs to reduce direct support for certain companies or technologies, but increase R&D investment in energy, environment and health and welfare to enhance public interests of technology innovation activities.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.29-49
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• 2009

This study not only suggests a methodology of science planning different from technology planning, but also applies the methodology to the case of astronomy and space science project. Throughout the analysis on this practice, we have provided logical tools for science project planning, and have identified a decision making process in science which has been regarded to be in a 'black box'. Therefore, this science planning technique can contribute to a more rationalized allocation of scientific resource at a project level as well as at a national level. In particular, catch-up countries in a transition to post catch-up stage such as Korea can establish a more efficient national R&D system by application of science planning concept to an emerging technology area.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.303-330
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• 2013

Korea has started new value creation which is the post catch-up innovation system from the catch-up innovation. Post catch-up innovation system is becoming the main R&D issue for Korea and is needed for the new concept of R&D management and planning frame. This study posed questionnaires : how to promote the knowledge creation in technology planning and what the role of organizational learning in the technology planning is. This paper suggests the relationship of success factors of knowledge creation in technology planning which is organized and operated by experts with different background. Based on the prior research on organizational learning, communications and collaborative interactions, four hypotheses that factors of knowledge creation in technology planning have positive relationship with organizational learning are extracted. This study adopts Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) to analyze the relationship between organizational learning and successful technology planning. The approach based on organizational learning and interaction will be useful for constructing the planning framework in the era of post catch-up innovation. This paper, therefore, suggests the possibility of new theoretical development and new research agenda.

• 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.