• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2024

Background: E-waste workers in Hong Kong are handling an unprecedented amount of e-waste, which contains various neurotoxic chemicals. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate the neurological health status of e-waste workers in Hong Kong. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neurobehavioral alterations and to identify the vulnerable groups among Hong Kong e-waste workers. Methods: We recruited 109 Hong Kong e-waste workers from June 2021 to September 2022. Participants completed standard questionnaires and wore a GENEActiv accelerometer for seven days. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Questionnaire 16/18 (Q16/18) were used to assess subjective neurobehavioral alterations. The GENEActiv data generated objective sleep and circadian rhythm variables. Workers were grouped based on job designation and entity type according to the presumed hazardous level. Unconditional logistic regression models measured the associations of occupational characteristics with neurobehavioral alterations after adjusting for confounders. Results: While dismantlers/repairers and the workers in entities not funded by the government were more likely to suffer from neurotoxic symptoms in Q18 (adjusted odds ratio: 3.18 [1.18-9.39] and 2.77 [1.10-7.46], respectively), the workers from self-sustained recycling facilities also have poor performances in circadian rhythm. Results also showed that the dismantlers/repairers working in entities not funded by the government had the highest risk of neurotoxic symptoms compared to the lowest-risk group (i.e., workers in government-funded companies with other job designations). Conclusion: This timely and valuable study emphasizes the importance of improving the working conditions for high-risk e-waste workers, especially the dismantlers or repairers working in facilities not funded by the government.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.519-545
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• 2017

This study analyzed the factors influencing the technology transfer of Government-Funded Research Institutes from the perspective of resource-based view. In particular, we analyzed the effects of research resources, research capacity, and research results diffusion variables on technology transfer performance. The research resource variables affect the primary output of R&D (patents, research papers) but direct effect on the technology transfer performance was very weak. Among the research competency variables, patent-related variables such as patent registration, patent holdings have a significant effect on the technology transfer performance. However, the research papers have a negative effect on the technology transfer performance. The research results diffusion variables such as TLO organization and TLO budget may partly have a positive impact on technology transfer, but the statistical significance is not clear.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

In this paper, we examine the points of similarity and difference between Korea, Japan, and the USA in terms of the spin-off effects of space technology on cultural life. In Japan and the USA, spin-off effects of space development research by government funded research centers are diffusive while in Korea they are interruptive. Spin-offs of research results impact cultural life via technology transfer and commercialization in businesses. This is because the Korean aerospace industry has progressed largely based on an overall system, but the promotion of internal parts and sub-systems, which can trigger technological development and spin-off effects in manufacturing, has been neglected. In the case of the KARI, the government funded research center, we argue that it is necessary for KARI to devote more resources to transfer (or promote spin-offs of) space technology to small and medium-sized businesses and other industries.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to present meaningful information and policy implications concerning the determinants of royalties to the government-funded research centers and agencies. These groups are responsible for policies encouraging technology transfer from the public sector to the private sector. To identify key determinants of royalties in technology transfer, this study conducted AHP survey analysis (Survey period: 01/10~31/10, 2016) of 85 companies which were participants of the R&D project "Next Generation BioGreen21" of R.D.A in the "N"center from 2011 to 2015. Research results show that the critical factors include: 1)Technical considerations for determining the profitability of the technologies, 2)The interest and willingness of the management group, 3)Necessity and urgency of technology transfer. These findings suggest three main policy implications. First, the government-funded research centers and agencies should develop technologies that help companies improve their commercialization as well as the profitability in the near future. Second, government-funded research centers and agencies should consider reducing the administrative burden of the royalty payment for private companies. Third, public R&D projects should reflect the proper research schedule for technology development on the basis of the R&D time span of companies which transfer technology.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.416-445
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• 2019

This study aims at examining the relationship among entrepreneurial orientation, absorption capability, alliance capability and cooperation performance in technological cooperation between SMEs and government-funded R&D Institutes. For empirical analysis, the study conducted a survey on total 2,895 SMEs participating in the technological cooperation programs operated by government-funded R&D Institutes, and collected 332 survey responses. Data were analysed using a structural equation model. Empirical results show that entrepreneurial orientation, absorption capability, and alliance capability influenced the performance of technological cooperation. In addition, alliance capability has a significant effect on absorptive capacity. In order for the technology cooperation between SMEs and government-funded research institutes being successful, efforts are needed to secure companies' entrepreneurial orientation, absorption capability and alliance capability that has the capabilities that SMEs needs for technological cooperation.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.237-260
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• 2021

This study aims to make suggestions for more effective budget utilization and R&D project investment through verification of the efficiency of research results for the government's R&D projects. Efficiency was analyzed using Data Envelope Analysis(DEA) and 'Malmquist Index analysis' for the research results of convergence research projects organized by the National Science and Technology Research Association. The analysis targets were convergence research projects organized by the National Science and Technology Research Association and general entrusted research projects by government-funded research institutes, and dynamic analysis was conducted using DEA and Malmquist Index analysis. As a result of the analysis, the convergence research project showed high efficiency from the static perspective of DEA. On the other hand, from a dynamic perspective through the Malmquist Index analysis method, the efficiency of the general consignment project gradually declined, while the efficiency of the convergence research project improved every year. This suggests that convergence studies have higher results than general studies. Through the results of this study, we intend to present objective standards for performance evaluation of government R&D investment and provide objective implications for rational investment policies and research project planning of research personnel and research funds to improve efficiency for government-funded research institutes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.39-52
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• 2023

In this study, project information of government-funded research institute in the food field was collected and analyzed to systematically identify the factors affecting the process of transferring technological achievements of public research institute to the private sector. This study hypothesized that human resources, financial resources, and technological characteristics as input factors of R&D projects affect output factors, such as research papers or patents produced by R&D projects. Moreover, these outputs would serve as drivers of the technology transfer as one of the R&D outcomes. Linear Regression Analysis and Poisson Regression Analysis were conducted to empirically and sequentially investigate the relationship between input factors and output and outcome of R&D projects and the results are as follows: First, the principle investigator's career and participating researcher's size as human resource factors have an influence on both the number of SCI (science citation index) papers and patent registration. Second, the research duration and research expenses for the current year have an influence on the number of SCI papers and patent registrations, which are the main outputs of R&D projects. Third, the technology life cycle affects the number of SCI papers and patent registrations. Lastly, the higher the number of SCI papers and patent registrations, the more it affected the number of technology transfers and the amount of technology transfer contract.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.461-472
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Globally, it has been projected that there will be 2 billion overweight and 1 billion obese individuals by 2030. In Korea, the prevalence of adult obesity (BMI > 25) increased from 29.7% in 2009 to 32.4% in 2015. Moreover, childhood obesity, which leads to adulthood obesity, has increasingly become a social problem. The purpose of this review is to summarize the scientific basis for the development of effective models and policies aimed at preventing obesity over a lifetime based on research modeling obesogenic environments. MATERIALS/METHODS: The review focuses on the characteristics of obesity prevalence and trends in 3P analysis (papers, patents, and products) as well as government-funded projects in Korean obesity obesogenic environments over the last 10 years. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: As a result of the 3P analysis, studies on obesity risk factors were frequently carried out, according to two data bases RISS (4.9%) and PubMed (24.7%). Since there were only 17% patents related to the mechanism of preventing obesity in 7,951 Korean patents related to obesity, new paradigms of technologies to dominate the global obesity markets are needed. After government-funded projects were analyzed, communication and cooperation in multi-governmental departments were suggested to elucidate the characteristics of Korean obesity. Government should also produce short- and long-term road maps to develop a practical, successful outcome. Although the rate of obesity in Korea is currently lower than in other developed countries according to WHO criteria, without adequate governmental intervention, obesity rates will approach those of the top countries with high incidence rates of obesity within the next 10 years.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.624-639
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• 2016

Among various types of public research institutes (PRI), the government-funded research institutes (GRIs) are having a difficult time in enhancing the efficiency of technology transfer. This study specifically analyzed 1,163 projects conducted by GRIs from 2009~2013 to ascertain the determinants that affect technology transfer process. Along with conducting qualitative analysis on relevant researches, we examined the hypotheses by relying on quantitative analysis, using national R&D data from National Science and Technology Information Service (NTIS). As a result of the analysis, we found that whether or not the project generated applied patent, the royalty varied. Also, depending on different R&D development stage, a number of researchers and the amount of R&D funding, the royalty varied. Finally, we derived that out of all the independent variables, a number of applied patents, a number of researchers and the amount of R&D funds can affect the royalty generated from technology transfer. Based on such results we suggest several policy implications.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.221-233
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of determinants of innovation performance on innovation performance in industry-research institute(IR) cooperation for researchers of government-funded research institutes in Daedeok Innopolis. We reviewed the existing literature on the determinants of innovation performance through cooperation, and established a conceptual framework to analyze the combinatorial effect of the determinants of innovation performance on innovation performance in IR cooperation. Data for empirical analysis were collected through a questionnaire survey targeting researchers at a government-funded research institute in Daedeok Innopolis. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to analyze the combined effect of determinants of innovation performance. The fsQCA results show that the configuration of high motivation, high trust, high commitment and high satisfaction of researchers of government-funded research institutes improve innovation performance. On the other hand, it shows that the configuration of high motivation, high trust, low commitment and low satisfaction of the researcher improves innovation performance.