Asia-Pacific Initiatives to Develop Technology-Based Economies

摘要

This report examines technology-based economic development programs in the fourcountries as of 1994. It provides economic and political overviews and descriptions of selected programs in each country. Programs include science parks and science towns, regional technology institutes, national laboratory-industry collaboration, teaching factories, industrial associations, networking, and small and medium-size industry (SMI) programs. Specific programs discussed include (1) regional R&D institutes, which conduct R&D and industrial services in Japan, (2) technology diffusion groups in Japan, (3) industrial associations in Japan and South Korea, (4) teaching factories in Singapore, and (5) science parks in South Korea and Taiwan. There are some valuable lessons for U.S. economic developers: (1) Networks can be used to diffuse technologies to SMIs. (2) Regional R&D institutes are important to SMIs. (3) Industrial associations offer many services that help firms adopt new technologies. (4) Strong education and training programs are integral parts of successful technology strategies.