Economic Analysis of University-Industry Collaborations: the Role of New Technology Based Firms in Japanese National Innovation Reform

In this study, quantitative analysis of university industry collaborations (UICs) is conducted in case of Japan by using the dataset from RIETI's UIC Survey and METI's Basic Survey on Business Structure and Activities. A focus is put on comparing new technology based firms (NTBFs), to large firms in terms of the characteristics of UIC activities and the impact of UICs on R&D and production productivity.

It is found that UICs are not simply adaptations of technology at university, but involves significant development activities at industry side. In this sense, UICs used to concentrate in large firm with substantial R&D resources 5 years ago. However, this activity has spread over to small firms recently, and R&D and productivity impacts of UICs can be found more clearly for small and young firm group. UIC activities by NTBFs are promising not only by the growth potential of these firms, but also by playing as agents of changes in Japan's in-house national innovation system toward network based dynamic one.