Comparative analysis of innovative diffusion in the high-tech markets of Japan and South Korea: a use–diffusion model approach

In recent years, many scholars and practitioners have raised doubt as to whether or not conventional research on the diffusion of innovation can explain and predict the needs and behavioral patterns of consumers in the raiding and converging market environment. Thus, it has been suggested that the use–diffusion model would be a good alternative framework to study innovation diffusion. This study explores whether the new model is effective in explaining and predicting the needs and innovative behavioral patterns of consumers in the Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) market in Japan and South Korea. Nation-wide surveys were conducted in Japan and South Korea for data collection, resulting in a large random sample (n = 500 in Japan and n = 500 in South Korea). Important findings of the study are: (1) product experience and sophistication of technology were found to be the most important factors in explaining the innovative diffusion process among IPTV users; (2) functional similarity, complementarity, and substitution effect were also main determinants for enhancing users’ satisfaction with IPTV services; (3) complexity and relative advantage were crucial measures of IPTV’s current technological level, functional performance, and quality with regard to services; and (4) a comparative analysis of diffusion patterns of IPTV between Japan and South Korea indicated that IPTV users in Japan appeared to be still in the phase of early adopters, while South Korean users have gone beyond to the phase of early majority in the adoption cycle.     

高科技企业的知识产权战略——以清华科技园的中小企业为例

通过问卷调查发现,清华科技园中小企业拥有知识产权的比例较高。从专利的情况看,企业拥有和申请的多是层次较高的发明专利,而且为此付出了一定的专利保护费用,专利应用于产品的比率也比较高。调查和深度访谈同时表明,清华科技园的中小企业高度认同知识产权对创新成果的法律保护效应;但同时也依靠对技术秘密进行内部保护、加快研发进度和提高设计的复杂程度来避免被模仿,从而减小侵权者的盈利空间。     

How Does FDI Affect Productivity at Home?: Evidence from a Plant-Level Analysis

This study investigates the effect of foreign direct investments (FDI) on home productivity using plant-level data rather than firm-level data. Our results are consistent with the theoretical predictions. Horizontal FDI (HFDI) does not have a significantly positive effect on home productivity in plants that have the same activities abroad. In contrast, vertical FDI (VFDI) significantly enhances productivity in plants with an input–output relationship with activities relocated abroad. Furthermore, focusing on FDI in East Asia, the productivity improvements at home through VFDI are even greater, which might be caused by significant differences in factor prices between Japan and host countries.