Modes of knowledge transfer from PROs and firm performance: the case of Korea

This paper aims to conceptualize the modes of knowledge transfer from PROs and to identify the impacts of the modes on firm performance. To these ends, this utilizes the Survey on Korean industry-university/PRI relationships to estimate the impacts of its mode in terms of the innovation probability, patents and sales of Korean firms. First, we find that non-IP modes of knowledge transfer and patent/licensing from PROs facilitate the innovation probability or the patent-filing of firms, while business activity does not. Second, non-IP modes of knowledge transfer and patent/ licensing from PROs contribute to industrial innovation, by creat- ing new knowledge through patents, but they face limitations in industrializing knowledge through sales. Third, non-IP modes of knowledge transfer facilitate industrial innovation, through the patent-filing, only in the high-tech industries, while they still face limitations, through sales, even in these industries. This reflect the nature of knowledge industrialization in Korea, and we suggest several policy implications

The Determinants of Industry-University/GRI Linkages and Their Impacts on Firm Performance: The Case of Korea

Presented at the GLOBELICS 6th International Conference 2008 22-24 September, Mexico City, Mexico

Determinants of Industry-Academy Linkages and Their Impacts on Firm Performance: The Case of Korea as a Late-comer in Knowledge Industrialization

Presented at GLOBELICS 2009, 7th International Conference, 6-8 October, Dakar, Senegal.Parallel session 1: Firm innovation strategiesThis paper utilizes the Korea Innovation Survey data to find out the determinants of industry-university and industry-GRI (IUG) cooperation and its impact on firm performance. We find first that among determinants of IUG cooperation, traditional firm characteristics variables of sizes and R&D intensity are not significant at all, while the participation at the national R&D project turns out be most significant and robust in both cooperation modes. This is in quite contrast to the results from the cases of European countries, and reflects importantly the heavy weight of government policies in promoting the IUG cooperation in late-comer economies. Second, regarding the impacts of the IUG cooperation, we strikingly find no significant impact on the innovation probability of firms when we control the possible endogeneity such that already innovative firms might participate more at such cooperation modes. This implies that the IUG cooperation cannot guarantee a firm success in technological innovation; rather, it may have an influence on the selection or direction of the firm’s research projects. When we limit the analysis to the innovative firms, we do find positive impacts of the IUG cooperation on patents generated from new product innovation but no impacts in terms of sales increase or labor productivity. These results seem to reflect the still transitional nature of the NIS and knowledge industrialization

Determinants of industry-academy linkages and, their impact on firm performance: The case of Korea as a latecomer in knowledge industrialization

This paper utilizes the Korea Innovation Survey data to identify the determinants of industry-university and industry-government research institute (IUG) cooperation, and its impact on firm performance. First, we find that among the determinants of IUG cooperation, traditional firm characteristic variables of size and R&D intensity are not significant, while participation in national R&D project turns out be most significant and robust in both cooperation modes. This is in contrast to the results from the cases in European countries and reflects the significance of government policies in promoting IUG cooperation in latecomer economies. Second, with regard to the impact of IUG cooperation, we conspicuously find no significant impact on the innovation probability of firms when we control the possible endogeneity, such that already innovative firms would participate more at such cooperation modes. This implies that the IUG cooperation cannot guarantee the success of a firm in technological innovation. Rather, it may have an influence on the selection or direction of the research projects of a firm. When we limited the analysis to innovative firms, we do find a positive impact of the IUG cooperation on patents generated from new product innovation but find none in terms of volume of sales or labor productivity. These results seem to reflect the still transitional nature of the national innovation system (NIS) and knowledge industrialization in Korea.University-industry linkage (UIL) Knowledge industrialization, Technological innovation, NIS, Korea

Promoting effective modes of the university-industry interaction and their evolution for economic catch-up in Asia

The project identified the drivers of, and barriers to university-industry relations (UIR) and collaboration in Asia. A survey and case studies were conducted to examine capacities and limitations of the universities and the industrial firms, legal and market institutions including intellectual property rights (IPRs) arrangements, and any historical legacies and cultural factors. One finding from the Malaysian team is that contrary to most of past findings, medium firms rather than large firms are more likely to collaborate with universities. The project also produced final reports by five country teams explaining the determinants of current UIR in each country