The Role of Multinational Corporations (MNC's) in Developing R&D in Thailand: the Knowledge Flow Between MNC's and University

摘要

During the last decade, the Thai government has recognized that Thailand needs to move toward an economy not only based on the cheapness of labour but also based on its intellectual capital and innovation capability. Therefore, the country has set up initiatives and specific policy to attract multinational corporations that could contribute to raise the research and development capacity of the country. Several studies have been undertaken to evaluate the role that Multinational corporations could play in knowledge creation, technology diffusion and development of potential R&D within South East Asia. Amongst the several approaches investigating the factors fostering Innovation in developing countries, one strategy would be to strength the Universities?Industries (UI) relationship. The success and failure of the University?Industry linkage has been widely discussed, but there is still a need to understand the dimensions impacting on the willingness of multinational corporations to share knowledge with Thai Universities. This paper discusses the balance of factors (industrial characteristics, firm characteristics and business models) that can play a substantial role in enhancing the knowledge sharing mechanisms.??.