Overview
2006 - 2007
The most important issue for the Japanese economy is the creation of value-added by means of innovation. Research until now has been based on the hypothesis that if technical innovation can be achieved and used as the basis for developing products that meet market and customer needs, that will lead to greater international competitiveness and productivity. However, international competition has grown more complex in recent years, and in a rapidly increasing number of cases Japanese companies have been succeeding with technical innovation and developing excellent products as a result, but this has not led to value-added creation. In terms of technology management theory this means that even if value creation is achieved, it is not possible to achieve value acquisition. This is particularly striking in the sphere of information devices and digital home electronic products that use semiconductors, digital technologies, and communications technologies. Many aspects of this failure to achieve value acquisition that Japanese companies are facing cannot be explained within the existing theoretical framework relating to innovation systems. Our research is being conducted for the purpose of clarifying, both theoretically and empirically, the desirable form of value acquisition, and of making recommendations that will enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese companies.
Until March 31, 2008
