Post-Catch-Up Strategy for Medium-Sized South Korean Firms: Improving Technological Capabilities by Balancing R&D Intensity and Open Innovation

作者：Paik Jiwon^*; Chang Hyun Joon

来源：Emj-Engineering Management Journal, 2015, 27(4): 164-176.

DOI：10.1080/10429247.2015.1100931

• Open Innovation
• Post-Catch-Up
• R& D Intensity
• South Korean Firms
• Technological Capabilities

This study examines how R&D intensity and open innovation affect the technological capabilities of firms in newly-developed countries, such as South Korea. East Asian latecomers are transitioning from a catch-up phase toward becoming leaders, and they are engaging in open innovation activities to drive this transition. This research quantitatively analyzes three kinds of open innovation activities-outside-in, inside-out, and coupled-to investigate their influence upon technological capabilities, while also considering the effect of R&D intensity. Data from 75 South Korean medium-sized firms were analyzed, and two major findings are reported. First, technological capabilities are enhanced by some open innovation activities and by R&D intensity. Second, R&D intensity negatively moderates the impact of open innovation activities on technological capabilities. Therefore, it may be concluded that firms with relatively low R&D intensity will gain the most benefit from increasing their open innovation activities.

• 出版日期2015