• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.31-48
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• 2000

Nowadays the role of region has been increased, as knowledge, science and technology become important in economic development. This paper argues that a system approach is needed to enhance regional S&T capabilities. Under the this approach, we can identify a concept of regional innovation systems as sub-systems of a national innovation system. This paper investigates Korean regional innovation systems based on R&D budget of regional governments. According to this paper, Korean regional governments' R&D investment is very insufficient. There were no co-relationship between regional governments' fiscal autonomy from the central government and their R&D investment. This paper argues that such a poor investment will restrict the future development of Korean regional innovation systems. Therefore, this paper suggests some strategic options for the development of regional innovation systems as follows. First, regional governments should increase their R&D budget. Second, their R&D efforts should be related with their specific industrial sectors. Third, they should target not only to create new promising industrial sectors but also to enhance technological capabilities of existing sectors. Fourth, their target group should be small and medium-sized enterprises. Finally, regional governments should adopt small and incremental approach to improve their innovation systems.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.34-55
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• 2001

With increasing globalization, a proper policy for global inter-city networking strongly required, which presumes the study on the heterogeneity among regional innovation systems. While surveying the research results of the Evolutionary Economics, 1 stress that regional systems of innovation differ in technological capacities, industrial structures, institutional arrangements and socio-cultural features. 1 make the empirical investigation based on the data of Busan and Hamburg, making clear the regional specificities among regional innovation systems. The results show that regional systems of innovation in Busan and Hamburg are quitely asymmetric. They suggest also the limitation of neo-classical assumption on the ‘homogeneous production function’ and that policy-makers in regions should make the policy for ‘global inter-cities networking’, based on perspectives of regional heterogeneity.

• Proceedings of the Technology Innovation Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.128-147
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• 2004

This paper aims at identifying the strategies for strengthening regional innovation systems. This paper is based on the objective evaluation on regional innovation systems by regional government officials who are in charge S&T promotion. This paper has two significances. First, regional government officials as manager on S&T policies, will be able to diagnose exactly their own regional innovation systems. Second, we will be able to get a complete figure on regional S&T culture throughout them. This paper argues that, in order to strengthen regional innovation systems, we must reinforce firms' technological capabilities, create and decentralize public research institutes, and diffuse the culture for appreciating S&T and innovation within region etc.

• World Technopolis Review
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.113-129
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• 2017

Universities are considered important actors and drivers of socio-economic development in the regional innovation eco-system. This article investigates the role Kenyan universities and research institutes play in the development of regional innovation eco-system in the context of triple and Quadruple helices. A model involving Government, Industry, Universities and Society (Public) linkages in the regional innovation eco-system and with Information and Communication Technology as an enabler is used as a framework for analysing the nature of linkages in Kenya. The article uses literature review and case study methods to examine how universities and research institutes can spur the development of the innovation eco-systems. The research question is: what is the role of Kenyan universities and research institutes in spurring innovation ecosystems? Six cases of Kenyan universities and research institutes are considered in the light of Government Policy on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) which is underpinned in Kenyan constitution 2010. The study contributes to the understanding of how deep collaboration among universities, government, research institutes, Science Cities, local, regional, national and international players spurs the creation of world-class innovation ecosystems which can contribute to regional development in developing countries like Kenya.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.77-97
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• 2001

The 21st century is not only the knowledge-based society but also the unifie era for Korea. It implies that Korea should prepare for the unification, especially in the area of knowledge, science, and technology. Under this background, this paper deals with how we can prepare for the unification of South and North Korea in science and technology (S&T) area. There have been no sufficient theoretical studies in this area. This paper, therefore, argues that regional innovation system, which has been developed since the beginning of the 1990s, could be effectively applied to the S&T cooperation and unification between both Koreas. It argues that regional innovation systems can formulate sectoral innovation systems effectively, which lead to a competent national innovation system. According to this study, South and North Korean regions have complementary sectoral innovation systems that could effectively cooperate with each other. Such S&T cooperation could make a great contribution to the S&T integration between two Koreas in the future. This paper argues, therefore, that S&T cooperation between two Koreas should target the unification of South and North Korean regional innovation systems. This paper names it as the unified national innovation system.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.17-40
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• 2008

The collaboration among academia, industry, and public research sector gains importance in these days. This is essential for implement competent regional and national innovation systems. There have been many governmental programs for activating collaboration among innovation actors. Most policy programs for collaboration have aimed at increasing S&T and innovation potential and constructing S&T infrastructure. However, Korea has not produced a sufficient level of collaboration, especially on regional level. Most policy programs could not reach regions and many regions have no enough innovation actors. In order to activate R&D collaboration, therefore, we suggest that Korean S&T community should build and implement "collaborative research centers" all over the regions. This concept is very new approach, especially because it focuses on collaboration among regional innovation actors. In this paper, we discuss a concept, type, and execution strategy of collaboration research centers. We expect that these centers will play an important role in implementing successful regional innovation systems, as they will link regional innovation actors very closely.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-24
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• 2014

Policy planners in Asia readily covet high technology districts and regional systems of innovation such as Silicon Valley. We examine the law's role, by way of covenants not to compete (競業禁止條項) in the development of Silicon Valley by reviewing the literature from 1999 through 2013. The research suggests that in certain high-tech districts such as Silicon Valley, there are greater gains in the innovation of a region by prohibiting CNCs. While we emphasize CNC law as the main legal determinant to Silicon Valley's success, the application of trade secret law and the inevitable disclosure doctrine are also factors that can aid or restrict the mobility and knowledge spillover of a region. Even with much explored, perspectives are lacking from a regional innovation systems analysis, and more so in the context of Asian nations. To tackle these gaps, three analytical frameworks are presented that entails labor law, law and economics, and law and innovation. And from within the law and innovation framework, research is introduced in the hope that future discussions on Asian regional innovation systems consider the legal foundation of Silicon Valley.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.112-130
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• 2014

Many actors are involved in the development of regional innovation systems (RIS) such as universities, private firms, research institutions, governments, and public agencies. In a country like Korea, where the central government takes more than 95% of the total government R&D budget, the role of regional authorities in science, technology, and innovation are fairly limited, although in recent years some regional governments have tried to promote innovation activity in their localities. This paper looks into the Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion (GSTEP) in Gyeonggi Province and examines its emerging role and achievements in innovation policymaking. It was found out that GSTEP engages in knowledge brokering with the purpose of helping firms participate in regional technological innovation processes. The knowledge brokering roles of this regional authority are described along with their implications for regional innovation policy. This study aims for a deeper understanding of the nature of the regional authority's role in a RIS through the case study of regional actors transitioning from being subordinators to becoming active participants with greater participation on policymaking and implementation.

• Korean Business Review
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.195-214
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• 2008

In 2004, in order to create core competences and major growth drivers for endogenous regional developments, the Korean government adopted the policies for establishing regional innovation systems, The main organization for the policies is the regional innovation council which is composed of diverse groups of scholars, professionals, and government officials. The regional innovation council of Kang-won Province consists of a couple of sub-divisions such as Operation Committee, Administration Office, Planning and Moderation Department, Strategic Industry Department, Culture and Tourism Industry Department, Regional Industry Department, and Regional Human Resource Development Department. The primary roles and jobs are planning, reviewing, evaluating and finalizing regional innovation policies. However, because of conflicts with local government, insufficient budget problems, organization structure problems, and decision making process problems, the regional innovation councils could not perform their original roles and functions. They could not adopt radical or non-traditional strategies. Although it's failure, a lot of people recognize the importance of regional innovation councils' roles and functions, I believe there would be another regional innovation councils coming continuously which would be take more important roles and have more power over budgeting problems. The purpose of this article is to identify the primary sources of strategies and organization structure problems of the previous regional innovation councils and to provide a couple of answers. In this paper, the author primarily analyze the problems of the Kang-won innovation council. A couple of answers to the desirable organization structures and the desirable roles of regional innovation councils will be presented for discussion.

• STI Policy Review
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.63-79
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• 2012

Regional innovation systems and clusters represent a fashionable conceptual basis for regional innovation policies in many industrialized countries (including South Korea). Due to questions related to climate change and environment-friendly energy production, the green industry has been increasingly discussed in relation to regional innovation systems and clusters. This explorative paper analyzes these discussions and critically examines the emergence of green clusters in South Korea based on the case of the wind power cluster in Jeonbuk Province. It tentatively concludes that the role of the central government is too powerful and the role of regional actors (policy-makers and entrepreneurs) is too weak for the successful emergence of green clusters.