Innovation policy for developing Taiwan's competitive advantages

Innovation is a prerequisite for every nation and business facing the emergence of a knowledge–based economy and globalization. For small and medium firms in developing countries with limited resources and relatively low national advantage innovation is much more difficult. Government innovation policy, stemming from three sides – supply, demand, and environment, has been shown to play a major role in assisting firms to conduct innovation activities, especially in developing countries. This paper first summarizes recent tends and issues relevant to Taiwan's innovation structure and policy. Then, considering the present situation of Taiwan, analyzes the effect of government policy and current problems. Recommendations are presented systematically, based upon innovation policy.     

区域创新能力的空间格局及溢出效应测度研究

创新是推动中国经济高质量发展的源泉。本文基于区域创新系统理论,选取36项基础指标构建了中国区域创新能力综合评价指标体系,测算了中国30个省市2000~2019年的区域创新能力相对总得分,分析了其时空演变过程,并用空间杜宾回归模型对其溢出效应进行测度。研究发现样本期间中国区域创新能力局部与整体基本上都呈现增长型演变格局,但存在区域间的差异性,而且表现出一定的空间集聚特征;创新能力的空间溢出效应显著为正;产业结构的直接效应显著为负;环境规制的间接效应和总效应均显著为负;城镇化水平、所有制结构和市场化程度的直接效应显著为正,间接效应显著为负,并基于上述结论提出参考建议。     

The evolution of public industry R&D institute – the case of ITRI

Public industrial research institutes are important in regard to aiding industry development in many countries. Research institutes have to constantly change their strategies according to their industrial environments in order to remain influential. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) has been recognised as a successful institute in facilitating industrial development. During its 40‐year development process, ITRI has gone through three stages of strategic repositioning and organisational reforms. The evolution of the organisational structure and the interactions with its social‐technological environment are both complex and dynamic. This study proposes a framework which integrates the role of the institutes with organisation structures and strategies to analyse the process of the evolution of ITRI. Based on the framework, this study uses system dynamics to identify the underlying structure driving the process of its evolution. The result shows that it is important to align the organisational structure with development strategies; in a long‐term perspective, the strategies for short‐term and long‐term goals can reinforce each other. The recent transition of ITRI suggests a new direction‐seeking role for public research institutes to play among the national innovation systems. This study also discusses the potential impacts of the system dynamics approach to R&D management.     

From R&D to strategic knowledge management: transitions and challenges for national laboratories

The past two decades have witnessed unprecedented changes to national laboratories as they have adjusted to globalized and technology based competition. These transitions are reviewed in the context of how Canada's National Research Council has progressed from an internally oriented R&D organization into a more externally focused innovation organization, now coping with the challenges of strategic knowledge management. The paper traces the steps and paradigms involved in this transition and offers some commentary on the extent of the corporate cultural learning that has been required to effect these changes.     

基于创新结构效应的产业类型划分及判定方法研究

产业创新对于国民经济系统具有重要的影响,不同的产业创新结构对国民经济的影响不同。本文论证了基于创新结构效应的产业类型划分机理及其判定方法,并应用因子分析法对我国38个工业产业进行了实证研究,得出了5种不同的产业类型。针对我国每类产业的特点和在国民经济中的作用,提出了相应的政策性建议。     

瑞典国家创新体系探析与启示

创新能力反映一国的综合国力和核心竞争力,瑞典的全球创新指数和竞争力排名世界领先,主要原因是有运行有效的国家创新体系．它的主要特点是以绿色创新为战略导向,以服务创新为战略动向。瑞典政府积极完善创新战略,营造良好的创新环境,形成多方利益联盟,建立多渠道的成果转化机制,使得创新体系中四类要素（政府、大学、研发服务机构以及企业、集群）之间形成了复杂而有效的有机整体。与瑞典国家创新体系相比．中国的国家创新体系还需进一步完善。     

Innovation learning in comprehensive education?

The goal of this article is to clarify the concept of innovation and by presenting a research on the basic education outcome assessment data from an innovation learning perspective, answer to a question: Do students learn innovation in comprehensive education? The empirical information in this research is based on data collected in the national assessment of the subject craft, design and technology education (CDT) in Finland in 2010. The comprehensive education in Finland, the basic education, means grades 1–9 in comprehensive schools from age 7 to 16. This assessment included a design task, a test of knowledge and skills and an attitude test in CDT. This research focuses on two central concepts: (1) innovation is defined as a novel, inventive and usable solution, in either material or immaterial space: an end-product, process or method related to people’s practical needs and purposes and (2) innovation learning is defined as a problem based and creative process of using and implementing knowledge and skills in iterative and critical manner in designing and making a novel and practical solution with high usability. The assessment data was marked off to tasks which indicated the innovation learning (n = 661 out of the sample n = 4792). Brim quartiles were used as a methodological solution; the brim quartiles of usability formed the sample of this research. The statistical differences were tested using the Kruskal–Wallis test and the Pearson Chi Square test. Innovation learning includes the process of designing, planning, making and the practical solution itself. The national data allow general conclusions according to the level of innovation learning in comprehensive education. The central observation is that students learn innovation in comprehensive education varying from good to moderate levels. However, if students have not studied design and technology since 7th grade, they are twice as likely to be negative underachievers as to be either positive achievers or positive underachievers. This is useful for governments to know when trying to increase innovation on a national level, as well as when considering the well-being of people and society.     

Systems of innovation theory and the changing architecture of agricultural research in Africa

This paper examines the on-going evolution of the organisational architecture of agricultural research in Africa. Once considered a rural backwater populated by agronomists, extension agents and farmers, agricultural research is now being explicitly placed within global debates about innovation, technology, institutions and development. This is reflected in a growing interest in the use of systems of innovation theory to both understand and reform innovation processes within agriculture. The basic argument put forward in the paper is that the conception of a global agricultural research system, and associated efforts to create a coordinated, multi-layered, supra-national research infrastructure, are at odds with both the realities of research at national level, and the bio-physical and socio-economic heterogeneity that characterises rural Africa. It is suggested that a less directive approach to support for agricultural research is required to allow national characteristics and differences to come to the fore, and to give more room for the development of the all important demand-side.     

Book Reviews

The first review discusses a provocative book about innovation and the impact of technological change. Although the book also provides all readers with an invaluable historical perspective, the reviewer believes that it lacks predictive utility for practitioners. The second review covers a book devoted to strategic breakthroughs. The reviewer finds that the focus on the customer and the role of top management can be valuable for practitioners. The third review describes a book covering competitive advantage. Our reviewer praises the book highly, finding it of particular value for practitioners, both seasoned and novice. The fourth review is of a book devoted to improving new product development. The reviewer recommends the book as providing detailed practical guidance.
This issue also reviews two new books of special interest to professors. The first, by Robert Dolan, is a short text-and-cases book dealing with new product development and commercialization, primarily from the standpoint of strategic needs, data sources, and decision analytic methodologies. The second, by Richard Nelson, is a compendium of thoughtful essays dealing with the national innovation systems of fifteen different countries.     

Framing problems in radical innovation

The challenge of managing radical innovation is partly about dealing with higher levels of uncertainty as organisations seek to extend their exploration into new technological and market spaces. Innovation management routines for dealing with this differ from those around incremental innovation — the well-established exploit/explore dilemma. But it can be argued that there is a second challenge associated with radical innovation under conditions of discontinuity — when new elements in the environment need to be brought into the organisation's frame for search, selection and implementation. Under these conditions existing routines fail and otherwise successful incumbents experience significant difficulties. This paper explores the challenge of such radical innovation through the lens of the ways in which innovation activity is framed and contributes to the theme of this Special Issue through discussing barriers and enabling routines associated with the search, selection, and implementation processes within organisations.     

国家产业技术政策、技术创新体系与产业技术创新战略联盟——兼论知识产权战略的作用机制

国家产业技术政策是国家为促进产业技术发展,建构产学研一体化的技术创新体系而实施的国家层面的指导性文件和纲领。国家产业技术政策与技术创新之间具有密切联系,建构产学研技术创新体系是实现国家产业技术政策的重要保障。其中产业技术创新战略联盟的建设则是实现产学研一体化技术创新体系和落实国家产业技术政策的重要战略性举措。     

Environment and innovation: The case of the small entity

Scholarship on innovation has an extensive history, including research on national technological output, national systems to generate innovation, and the firm-level management of new product planning and development. This piece unites these strands, opening discussion on how national innovation systems affect management behavior, resulting in differences in the output of new technologies. By concentrating on one idiosyncracy of the United States, the disproportionate participation by small entity innovators, and one piece of its innovation environment, the patent system, the study is able to bring together the macro and micro evidence and analysis. Because national innovation systems, by definition, vary by country, there are important implications for managing the R&D process for optimal new products according to environmental circumstances.     

中国上市公司治理与企业技术创新关系的实证分析

本文通过利用中国2005—2007年343家上市公司的相关数据,对公司治理与技术创新的关系进行了实证分析。本文的主要发现和结论是:经营者持股与企业技术创新存在正相关关系,但这种发现并不具有统计上的显著性;股权集中度与企业技术创新存在倒U型关系,适度集中的股权结构更有利于企业技术创新;国有持股比例(包括国有股和国有法人持股)与企业技术创新存在反相关关系,国有持股比例越高,技术创新能力越低;以证券投资基金为主的机构投资者对企业技术创新有显著的正效应,机构持股比例越高,技术创新能力越强;独立董事制度与企业技术创新存在正相关关系,董事会中独立董事占比较高的企业技术创新投入明显高于独立董事占比较低的企业。本文还根据上述结论,从公司治理的视角提出了提升中国上市公司技术创新能力的政策建议。     

A research and development decision model for pharmaceutical industry: case of China

This paper evaluates prospective technology areas, development strategies, and various innovation resources in China's pharmaceutical sector through the use of a hierarchical decision model. The results indicate that although domestic SMEs are the major preferred innovation alternative, it is followed closely by foreign MNCs. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the effectiveness of policy decisions are influenced by certain high technology areas. Recombinant therapeutic proteins, recombinant vaccines, and monoclonal antibody technologies are identified as the major areas that will influence the priority of innovation resources. The research crafts a research framework to formulate innovation strategies in dealing with the uncertainties of technology development and policy decisions in the biopharmaceutical industry.     

论设计创意产业对我国经济转型的驱动作用

经济转型是科学发展观对我国经济活动提出的必然要求,也是一个十分紧迫而重要的课题。设计创意产业对我国经济转型的驱动作用主要表现在三个层面：一是在产业振兴层面,其可作为驱动我国制造业结构升级的强劲引擎;二是在企业运作层面,其具有将企业嵌入全球价值链高端的路径优势;三是就社会机制及价值观层面而言,工业设计所特有的创新本质将起到重构社会经济与文化体系的战略作用。因此,大力扶持发展设计创意产业,发挥其在促进产业升级、提升企业品牌中的核心作用,不但可为突破当前我国经济发展瓶颈找到一条切实可行的路径,还可为国家自主创新体系的建立提供最坚实的智力支撑。     

Pull and push: individual farming in Hungary

This paper is motivated by the fact that (part-time) individual farming is commonly observed among rural households in a number of transition economies but it is not clear prima facie if such resource allocation is optimal. A conceptual model of household labor allocation between individual farming and off-farm wage employment is developed. The model explicitly accounts for the role of household endowments in labor allocation as the analysis is conditioned on the status of factor markets. The hypotheses are empirically tested using 1998 data from a country-representative survey of rural households in Hungary, an advanced transition country, which only recently became EU member state. Results provide evidence that capital market imperfections still remain. Implications for the policies related to agricultural sector restructuring, employment and rural development are discussed.     

FDI、行业技术差距与企业自主创新——基于中国行业数据的经验研究

利用中国全部工业企业中37个行业的数据,实证研究了FDI对我国民族企业自主创新产生的促进作用。结果表明,随着外资进入程度的加强,内外资企业之间的竞争越激烈,越有利于民族企业创新能力的提高;且这种促进作用因行业技术差距而异;此外,政府的援助程度越强,越有利于内资企业的自主创新,且这种促进作用随着内外资企业之间技术差距的扩大而增强。     

Software innovativeness. A comparison between proprietary and Free/Open Source solutions offered by Italian SMEs

Innovation processes taking place in the software sector are already widely debated. The widespread success of Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) raises new research issues, dealing with whether and how the free circulation of ideas championed by the movement and its collective management of intellectual property rights fosters innovation. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the literature by addressing the following research questions: are programs based on FOSS solutions more innovative than proprietary ones, and, if so, which innovation dimensions are typical of the FOSS production mode? Based on a sample of 134 software solutions produced by Italian Small and Medium Enterprises and using a methodology frequently applied in technology management to evaluate innovativeness of products and services, this exploratory study provides initial insights into what happens when alternative metrics are used to observe complex innovation processes in the software market.     

基于动态网络SBM模型的中国医药制造业创新效率测算及其收敛性研究

首先,把医药制造业的创新过程分为知识创新和商业化两个阶段,建立动态网络SBM模型;其次,利用面板数据对中国医药制造业的创新效率及其收敛性进行了实证分析。研究发现：全国医药制造业创新效率偏低;知识创新阶段效率值较低,商业化阶段效率值相对较高;在全国范围内医药制造业创新效率存在着β条件收敛,每个地区会收敛于自身的稳定水平;医药制造业创新效率在各省之间呈现明显的东、中、西部地理空间俱乐部收敛,西部地区收敛速度都明显快于中、东部。研究结论带来的启示是：各级政府应结合自身的实际情况,采取相应的产业政策来促进医药制造业创新效率的提升。     

Managing industrial pharmaceutical R&D. A comparative study of management control and innovative effectiveness in European and Anglo-American companies

Drug regulation and pricing have put strong pressure on the cost-benefit ratio of the innovative pharmaceutical industry. Therefore a study has been conducted in fourteen large and medium sized companies to determine some important organisational and managerial factors influencing success in pharmaceutical innovation. The study consists of structured interviews with Research Directors and questionnaires, submitted to the heads of the different research departments. The following conclusions are tentatively drawn. Firstly, the data suggest that a threshold investment of approximately $150–200 million is needed to maintain the innovative potential. Above approximately $750 million, 'economies of scale' seem to appear in pharmaceutical innovation. Secondly, an incremental strategy aimed at reducing the duration of the development process seems to be more successful than a radical strategy which lays more emphasis on discovery. Thirdly, pure play pharmaceuticals seem to be more successful than the pharmaceutical divisions of conglomerates. Management control, especially the way in which reorganisations are performed, is assessed more positively in pure play pharmaceuticals. Fourthly, the greater emphasis on human resources management in Anglo-American companies, in comparison to continental European companies, seems to be an important explanatory factor for their greater success on the pharmaceutical market.