• STI Policy Review
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.62-86
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• 2017

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) system is one of the major institutions for incentivizing innovation. However, a strong IPR regime does not necessarily encourage innovation every time. This is because a variety of factors come into play in configuring the ways the IPR system interacts with the dynamics of innovation. In the present study, we examine whether different degrees of absorptive capacity at the industry level bring about heterogeneous effects of a strong IPR regime on the innovation capability of innovators across different industries in developing country. Using the case of the 1986 IPR reform in Korea, which permitted patenting pharmaceutical products and copyrighting computer programs, we analyze the quality of patents produced by Korean applicants between 1982 and 1991. Our analysis finds no evidence that the IPR reform improved the innovation capability of innovators in the two aforementioned sectors, but rather affected their patenting behavior differently.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.225-250
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• 2016

This paper aims to explore the institutional difference between Tsinghua University Science Park (TusPark) in Beijing, and business incubator of Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen (RITS), and to examine how the difference leads to different new product performance for tenants. In doing so, we use survey methodology to investigate the innovation sources, university linkages, and innovation outputs of tenants in TusPark and RITS. We found that tenants in RITS reply more on "market-driven" knowledge sources for innovation: including knowledge from customers, suppliers, and competitors. The empirical findings suggest that the technology support provided by RITS and the high dependency on "market-driven" knowledge sources jointly contribute to the better new product performance for tenants in RITS.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-28
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• 2008

This study investigates the characteristics and implications of the newly emerging socially-oriented innovation policy. The socially-oriented innovation policy has systemic views on the evolution of socio-technical system and innovation policy. It's ultimate goal is the transition toward sustainable socio-technical system and it takes "strategic niche management" approach for the transition policy. The governance structure of the policy is more open to the public actors, such as social service organizations and public institutes. As a case study, "the Technology-based Policy for the Enhancement of Quality of Life", which is the first comprehensive socially-oriented policy of Korea, is examined and it is suggested that the policy has some limitations because of the path dependency of targeting-oriented and catching-up style innovation policy of Korea.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2011

Korea is examining how to coordinate its S&T policies and solidify its position as a leader of infrastructure innovation policy that forms the foundation for many different policies. A number of questions have been raised, such as whether to install a superior coordinating body like the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) or separate the budget allocation and coordination authority from the budget-planning ministry. Korea has tried using various institutional coordination devices and functions such as reorganizing its administrative ministries based on related functions and installing or reinforcing a superior coordinating body. In line with these discussions, the strengthening of the S&T policy coordination function through the NSTC is currently under review. In order to design an effective S&T coordination system in step with changing political and social demands, it is important to have a clear recognition of the current context as well as the unique institutional characteristics of Korea. This study examines the evolution of Korea's S&T policy coordination systems and analyzes its features.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 2014

The concept of a holistic innovation policy is defined in this article, with discussions of what it is, why it is relevant, and how it can be implemented to enhance product innovation. It is shown that the innovation systems approach has diffused rapidly during the latest decades and has completely replaced the linear view in the field of innovation research. The majority of European countries are striving in the direction of developing a more holistic innovation policy. However, it is concluded that the innovation policies in European countries are still dominantly linear despite the fact that holistic policy seems to be the driving vision. Innovation policy is behindhand. Why innovation policy is still linear is also preliminarily discussed. Policymakers attending conferences on innovation are practically always in favor of holistic (systemic, broad-based, comprehensive, etc) innovation policies, have abandoned the linear view by learning from innovation research. The division between "linear" and "holistic" seems to be located within the community where innovation policies are designed and implemented, a community composed of policymakers (administrators/bureaucrats) and elected politicians. Perhaps the dividing line is between these two groups in that politicians, who actually make the decisions, may still reflexively believe in the linear view. Nevertheless, there seems to be a failure in communication between researchers and politicians in the field of innovation and there is therefore a strong need to involve innovation researchers in policy design and implementation to a much higher degree. Another way to increase the degree of holism could be to separate innovation policy from research policy, since their integration tends to cement the linear character of innovation policy. The empirical results are based on a questionnaire sent to twenty-three EU Member States, out of which nineteen (83%) responded. Part of the work for this article was carried out for the European Research and Innovation Area Committee (ERAC) of the European Commission (DG RTD).

• STI Policy Review
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 2014

The entrepreneurial university concept is a new challenge and opportunity for science and technology universities in Korea. The traditional university functions of education, research, and community service are still highly relevant, but increasingly so are new types of collaboration for research outcomes and funding resources. Strategic university management is needed to handle socioeconomic contribution, involving the creation and maintenance of proactive relationships with firms, national and regional governments, and other regional entities. The emergence of the entrepreneurial university in Korea is similar to the socioeconomic changes observable in the history of university development in America and in many other developed countries. In this paper, we examine the emerging paradigm of entrepreneurial universities in Korea and discuss the interactions among universities, firms, and government strategy and policy by investigating and comparing two universities, POSTECH and KAIST, in their leadership, adaptation to changes in the environment, business strategies, organization, and cooperative network. We conclude with policy points that emphasize the fact that while entrepreneurial universities are an emerging concept, they can expand innovation and creativity in education and research in Korean universities in the mid-to-long term if university administration, policymakers and public administrators, and regional innovation actors take an interest in the need for a new organization and system where university research can contribute socioeconomically.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.274-293
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• 2021

Utilizing outside knowledge for innovation is an important task for companies in the competitive economy. Due to the rapid advance in the internet communication technology, the number and quality of innovation sourcing methods are increasing. We select co-creation, personalization and in-house R&D as the representative forms of innovation sourcing and suggest a game theory model that enables the comparative analysis between them. The decision and surplus outcome of the innovation mechanisms are compared under various settings of the input parameters of the model. The stakeholders voluntarily participate into all mechanisms when the product price is moderately high and the participation cost is low, while co-creation is the only feasible one when the product quality is niche. When the participation cost is relatively high, personalization outperforms co-creation.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.180-207
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• 2019

This article explores the historical evolutionary process of the biopharmaceutical industry of Korea, and how intentional and unintentional policy interventions have triggered the creation of the industry's system dynamics and paved the way for the generation of a few global leading products, including biosimilar, as well as next-generation therapeutics of gene and cell. The policies cover the simple technology transfer of API synthesis to overcome the endemic parasitic disease, new substance patent adoption and new drug development consortia, human resource development, various national initiatives influenced by the Human Genome Project, and venture promotion schemes. The scope and implementation tools under these policies have been aligned and refined to transform traditional fine chemical-based pharmaceuticals, to stimulate large companies' participation and to create technology-based venture companies in the biopharma business of Korea.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.111-136
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• 2013

Meeting and solving persistent societal problems and challenges through science, technology, and innovation is now an emerging policy agenda in Korea. This socially-oriented innovation needs integrated approach on technological and social innovation. This study aims to suggest the necessity of new process named 'socio-technical planning' and propose its characteristics and implications. It deals with some cases of socio-technical planning activity and classifies their characteristics and types. And then, this study suggests the direction of socio-technical planning development.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2016

This study provides empirical evidences for the relationship between income inequality and economic growth, and relationship of income inequality with some of explanatory variables such as technological innovation, trade globalization, financial globalization and fiscal policy. We find out that income inequality has an adverse effect on economic growth, showing its dynamic features, for which we employed the polynomial distributed lags (PDL) model. The effect of income inequality on economic growth lasts over 9 years, and its dynamic effect peaks after 4 years. In addition, we also attempted to find out empirical evidences of sources of income inequality. The results show that income inequality is positively related to technological innovation, financial globalization, and fiscal policy; negatively related to the trade globalization. Many studies employ cross-country data, but it could have serious problems in collecting statistical data. Korean data is used over the time period of 1990-2015 in this study.