If companies are unable to obtain from within their own organizations the scientific or technical knowledge necessary for the development of new products, the alternative is to collaborate with universities or public research institutions. However, collaboration with other organizations incurs costs for searches and contracts. The objective of our research is a survey of joint inventions by researchers at public research institutions and private-sector firms, and through this to elucidate the roles fulfilled by the universities, other independent administrative organizations and other public research institutions, and to identify the implications for policies to further strengthen Japan's innovation system.
