Dis-organizing structure as a policy reform objective: public-private networks in Japan's innovation system

摘要

Japanese innovation policy reform prescribes the creation of links between public research and industrial innovation, based on the assumption of a public-private disconnect. However, previous research indicates more prevalent university-industry links than conventionally assumed, placing in question the reform prescription. Based on Japan's industrial development trajectory and organizational structure theory for innovation, the paper concludes that reform should encourage not simply the creation of new organizational linkages, but of a flexible system supportive of linkage creation and disbandment. Such dis-organization of structure befits the resource re-allocation demands of innovation today.