An Empirical Study on Open Innovation

2009 - 2010

The innovation system in Japan is characterized as "in-house compartment style," but a shift to an "open innovation style" is becoming imperative in a world of stiff innovation competition due to technological progress and globalization. However, Japanese companies are still lagging behind their U.S. and European counterparts in this regard. In addition, it is important to take into account the differences in innovation processes across industries to analyze R&D collaborations. For example, the licensing of chemical compounds is important for pharmaceutical firms, while the formation of an "innovation ecosystem" is necessary for the electronics industry, in which the territory of products and business has become increasingly complex. Furthermore, in order to create an innovation system network where dynamic R&D collaborations are formed, the issue of how to promote high-tech startups bridging the "valley of death" between industry and academia is an important issue. This project endeavors to explain the process of "open innovation" in Japan through the quantitative analysis of patent datasets, licensing, and firm level performance.

June 8, 2009 - March 31, 2011