㸱Actual State of Awards Programs for
Promoting Innovation (*)

In order to promote innovation in Japan, it is necessary to increase the motivation of engineers andresearchers, and to this end, as one of incentives, programs and schemes for giving them awards play animportant role. While, in Japan, various awards programs are operated under the sponsorship of the national orlocal governments, incorporated foundations or associations, mass media, and other entities (hereinafterreferred to as “hosts”) and companies, there is a call for a review of various awards programs from theviewpoints of securing incentives for engineers or the like, and, at the same time, enhancing companies’innovations. Under such background, this research was conducted, aiming to compile basic materials forconsideration of desirable awards programs for the future, by surveying the actual state of awards programs
operated by hosts and enterprises, and carrying out interviews with experts based on survey results.

Ϩ Introduction
1

Background of this research
In order to promote innovation in Japan, it isnecessary to increase the motivation of engineers
and researchers (hereinafter referred to as“engineers, etc.”) who create excellent
technologies and designs to undertake newresearch and development activities, and to thisend, programs and schemes for giving them
incentive awards in addition to financial
compensation play an important role.
At present, various awards programs areoperated under the sponsorship of the national or
local governments, incorporated foundations orassociations, the media, and other entities(hereinafter referred to as “hosts”). There is acall for a review of these awards programs mainly
from the following perspectives: [i] whether
these awards programs are designed to ensurethat engineers, etc. in all fields are properly
evaluated and awarded; and [ii] whether in-houseawards programs that excellent engineers, etc.,
find satisfactory have been established, although
this depends on the policies and rules ofindividual companies. The aim of this review is tosecure incentives for engineers or the like incarrying out research and development activities,
while, at the same time, enhancing companies’
international competitiveness and innovation
potential.
The
IntellectualProperty
Subcommittee under the Industrial Property
Council made recommendations to that effect inits recent report.1
Against such background, this research aims
to compile basic materials for discussing

desirable forms of awards programs for the future,by: [a] investigating the actual state of programs
operated in and outside Japan for awarding
engineers or the like, and comparing andanalyzing these programs in terms of the method
for selecting a wide range of award candidates andthe selection criteria; and [b] investigating theactual state of in-house programs operated by
Japanese and foreign companies for awarding
engineers or the like, and collecting caseexamples.
2

Method of this research
We investigated the actual state of programs
for awarding engineers or the like (hereinafterreferred to as “awards programs”), mainly using
information available on the Internet. Since
available information regarding awards programs
operated by individual companies is limited, we
mainly targeted awards programs operated byhosts. Among the subject awards programs, 90%
were related to technology and 10% were related
to designs. The percentage composition by host
attributes of technology-related awards programs
is as follows: national or local governments at20%; incorporated foundations or associations at40%; academic societies at 20%; and the media at20%.
In order to make up for the deficiency insuch publicly available information regarding
awards programs operated by hosts, we
conducted a questionnaire survey targeting 105
sponsors in Japan, and received responses from67 of them (response rate: 64%). Among therespondents’ awards programs, 90% were related
to technology and 10% were related to designs.

(*) This is an English summary by Institute of Intellectual Property based on the FY2014 JPO-commissioned researchstudy report on the issues related to the industrial property rights system.
IIP Bulletin 2015 Vol.24● 16 ●

The percentage composition by host attributes oftechnology-related awards programs is as follows:
national or local governments at 20%;
incorporated foundations or associations at 30%;
academic societies at 30%; and the media at 20%.
We also conducted a questionnaire survey
targeting 1,005 Japanese companies in order toascertain the status of development and operationof in-house programs operated by Japanesecompanies for awarding engineers, etc. Amongthe subject companies, 90% were large companies
and 10% were small and medium-sized companies.
We received responses from 519 companies(response rate: 52%).
In order to understand details of the status ofdevelopment and operation of awards programs
by Japanese hosts (e.g. awarding policy, selectioncriteria), we interviewed 10 hosts chosen fromthe questionnaire respondents, of which eight
hosts
operatetechnology-related
awardsprograms (two national or local governments,
three incorporated foundations or associations,
one academic society, and two mediaorganizations), and two operate design-related
awards programs.
In addition, in order to understand the detailsof the status of development and operation ofin-house awards programs operated by Japanesecompanies (e.g. points of note, issues), we alsointerviewed 10 companies chosen from thequestionnaire respondents with the following
industry breakdown: two companies from theelectrical/electronics, one from information, one
from automobiles, two from pharmaceuticals, one
from materials, one from textile, one fromchemicals, and one from construction.
Furthermore, in order to make up for the
deficiency in publicly available information
regarding awards programs operated by foreign
hosts, we interviewed five hosts in the UnitedStates and Europe (including three IP offices), of
which four hosts operate technology-related
awards programs and one operates adesign-related awards program. In addition, inorder to understand details of the status ofdevelopment and operation of in-house awards
programs operated by foreign companies, we alsointerviewed five companies in the United Statesand Europe with the following industry
breakdown:
twocompanies
fromelectrical/electronics, one from information, one
from automobiles, and one from pharmaceuticals.
Based on the results of these surveys andinterviews, we further interviewed five experts
on awards programs such as those who have beenengaged in selecting award candidates, for thepurpose of obtaining analytical views and advice
on the concept and an ideal design of awards
programs.

ϩ Investigation of publicly available
information
We accessed the websites of the selected
hosts and gathered basic information on theirawards programs (e.g. award name, host,supporter, objective, year when the award began,number of times of the award, type of award,
number of applicants, number of award winners,
prize gift or prize money, screening method andcriteria, judges, date and venue of the award
ceremony, attendees of the award ceremony,
events held jointly with the award ceremony).
The information made available on websites
by the media was the most substantial, followedby that of incorporated foundations orassociations, national governments, and local
governments, whereas, by contrast, mostwebsites on awards programs by academic
societies were relatively simple. Elaborately
made websites were found more frequently
among those of design-related awards programs
than among those of technology-related awards
programs.

Ϫ Investigation of awards programs
operated by hosts
According to the results of the questionnaire
surveys and interviews, the following features
were identified in awards programs by hosts.
- Focusing on awards programs by foreign hosts,
those dedicated to specific technologies (e.g.
medical care) represented a relatively large
proportion.
- Regarding the measures necessary forincreasing the motivation of engineers, Japanese
hosts frequently responded that they need toincrease the profile of their awards. Making theaward recognized as a career advantage was also
cited as a necessary measure.
- Regarding the distinguishing feature of theaward, having a long history was a frequentanswer heard among both Japanese and foreign
hosts. The need for more strategic features that
can attract media attention was also mentioned.

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ϫ Investigation of awards programs
operated by companies
The major features of awards programs
operated by companies are as follows.
- Regarding the status of in-house awards,
companies having both awards dedicated to alimited range of employees and those without
such limitation were found both among Japaneseand foreign companies.
- Regarding the current condition of themotivation of engineers, etc., most Japanese andforeign companies responded that theiremployees were highly motivated. As thereason for this, Japanese companies explainedthat the employees are doing what they want to
do as a job, whereas foreign companies
explained that the employees were satisfied
with their salaries or the workplaceenvironment.
- Regarding what should be done to makeengineers, etc. more motivated, Japanesecompanies cited giving better treatment orappropriate evaluation. Meanwhile, one foreigncompany mentioned that since its employees
were already highly motivated, nothing
particular should be done additionally.

be used as basic materials for discussing desirable
forms of awards programs in the future and will
ultimately be of some help for promoting
innovation in Japan.
(Researcher: Takahito WATANABE)

1Ϭ Awards programs for the future
Through the interviews with experts, we
obtained hints related to the following aspects
regarding ideal awards programs for the future.
1. Promotion of innovation
2. Points to note when considering awards
programs
3. Points
tonotewhenconsidering
design-related awards
4. Review of awards
5. Things to learn from foreign awards programs
6. Future expectations

ϭ Conclusion
The hints we obtained through this researchwith regard to future awards programs are not
only concerned with awards programs themselves
but may be the natural conclusions to be reachedwhen we consider how to make engineers or thelike more motivated toward research and creative
activities by awarding excellent technologies anddesigns.
We hope that the results of this research will

IIP Bulletin 2015 Vol.24● 18 ●

Intellectual Property Committee Industrial Structure
Council, Report by the Intellectual Property
Committee, p.19, February 24, 2014
http://www.jpo.go.jp/shiryou_e/toushin_e/shingikai_e/pdf/report_ipc2014.pdf