East Asian countries are both beneficiaries and protagonists of research and development, emerging as contributors to global advances in science and technology. Since the 1990s, multinational corporations have set up a host of R&D centers in Asia. Their arrival of followed in the footsteps of an intensive postwar build up of domestic R&D sites in East Asia.

While these trends are readily apparent, little is known about the R&D strategies of multinationals operating in East Asia and how they fit traditional innovation models. This area is particularly important in understanding the interplay between firms and stakeholders in national innovation systems.

To help fill this void, Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI) held an international conference “R&D in East Asia - Interplay between Global Firms’ Strategy and Host Countries’ National Innovation System” on February 24, 2006. Presentations and discussions by academics and practitioners explored R&D strategies in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, the innovation systems of the four countries, and their interplay with corporate activities. The research papers at the conference were edited and revised to produce this book.

It should be evident from this publication that East Asian countries differ significantly in culture, history, size, market, customers and scientific/technological predisposition. Therefore, a “one-size-fits-all” approach in R&D is unlikely to succeed. For successful cross-border R&D and innovation, multinational corporations must adjust their objectives to specific national contexts, such as the culture and business climate. How corporate strategies and national institutions meld will provide insight into the economic and technological transformation and direction of the Asia engines.


Contributors

Introduction: Introducing an Agenda for Future and Research Exploration
                      Maximilian von Zedtwitz

PART Ⅰ R&D Strategies of Global Firms in Northeast Asia
Chapter I. Strategic Perspectives on the Globalization of Technology:
                Implications for Northeast Asia Dennis Fred Simon
Chapter II. Managing Overseas R&D in Northeast Asia:
                 Conventional Wisdom and Emerging Trends Kazuhiro Asakawa and Ashok Som
Chapter III. Managing Research Center in China: Case of GE Bijan Dorri

PART Ⅱ The Interplay Between Global Firms' R&D Strategy and
              National Innovation System
Chapter IV. National Innovation System and China's Global R&D Strategy
                  Jon Sigurdson
Chapter V. National Innovation System and Global R&D Strategies:
                 The Case of Taiwan Shin-Horng Chen
Chapter VI. Korean National System of Innovation and FDIs Chaisung Lim
Chapter VII. Characteristics and Interactive Activities of Foreign R&D Centers
                   in Korea D. K. Bok, Tae-Yun Lim, and Young-Mo Lim