Title: ''Mad'' technology: changes in the national innovation systems of Japan, Korea and Taiwan

Authors: Ingyu Oh, Hun-Joon Park, Sunghoon Park

Addresses: College of Asia Pacific Management, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, 1-1 Jumonjibaru, Beppu, Oita 874-8577, Japan. ' Department of Business Administration, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. ' Department of Business Administration, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract: This paper raises two questions about the overall national innovation systems (NIS) of Japan, Korea and Taiwan: what has distinguished the three countries in terms of their NIS in the past; and why are the changes that are taking place now making the NIS in these countries relatively similar to each other? At present, the NIS of each country is becoming more privatised and flexible than in the pre-financial crisis period. We argue that this assimilation is due to the free flowing technologies readily available in the international markets, either real or virtual. ||Mad|| technology augurs significant shifts in the NIS of these three countries, notably a move from a manufacturing-based NIS with a high level of protection, piracy and stability, to a venture-based NIS with high levels of flexibility, risk taking and technological innovation.

Keywords: national innovation system (NIS); changes in NIS; Japan; Korea; Taiwan; ||mad|| technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2003.003938

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2003 Vol.3 No.5/6, pp.468 - 491

Published online: 10 May 2004 *

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