Capturing technological opportunity via Japan's star scientists
Subtitle: evidence from Japanese firms' biotech patents and products
By: Lynne G. Zucker, Michael R. Darby.
Contributors: Darby, Michael R.; National Bureau of Economic Research.
Series: NBER working paper series -- working paper 6360; Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research) -- working paper no. 6360.
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Cambridge, MA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 45
Subjects: Biotechnology industries -- Japan -- Econometric models.; Biotechnologists -- Japan -- Econometric models.; Biotechnology -- Research -- Japan -- Econometric models.
Description: Using detailed data on biotechnology in Japan, we find that identifiable collaborations between particular university star scientists and firms have a large positive impact on firms' research roductivity, increasing the average firm's biotech patents by 34 percent development by 27 percent, and products on the market by 8 percent as of 1989-1990. However there is little evidence of geographically localized knowledge spillovers. In early industry formation, star scientists holding tacit knowledge required to practice recombinant DNA (genetic engineering) were of great economic value, leading to incentives motivating their participation in technology transfer. In Japan, the legal and institutional context implies that firm scientists work in the stars' university laboratories in contrast to America where the stars are more likely to work in the firm's labs. As a result, star collaborations in Japan are less localized around their research universities so that the universities' local economic development impact is lessened. Stars' scientific productivity is increased less during collaborationswith firms in Japan as compared to the U.S.
Notes: "January 1998."

JEL no. O31.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 26-29).

Electronic access limited to Binghamton University faculty, staff and students for instructional and research purposes only.

Electronic version available via the Internet at the NBER World Wide Web site.

Finanical support from the National Science Foundation. Grant SES 9012925