IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v32y2007i4p435-456.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The beginning of university entrepreneurship in Japan: TLOs and bioventures lead the way

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Kneller

Abstract

Following reforms between 1998 and 2004, Japan’s technology transfer system closely resembles the U.S. Bayh-Dole system. Numbers of TLO patents and licenses and numbers of startups are respectable compared to U.S. numbers shortly after enactment of Bayh-Dole. However, capabilities of TLOs vary, average royalties are low, and business prospects for most startups seem limited. In contrast, joint research with companies is increasing rapidly. Most joint research inventions are jointly owned giving the companies an automatic de facto, non-transferable, royalty-free and license. Data from one university show a large proportion of engineering and materials/chemistry inventions are attributed to joint research with large companies, thus limiting opportunities for startup formation and licensing to other small companies. (In biomedicine, pre-emption of discoveries by joint research is less.) Pre-emption of university discoveries (often publicly funded) under joint research agreements recreates the pre-reform system, where corporate donations also enabled pre-emption of discoveries. Like the old system, the new system is advantageous to established companies. Strengthening the formal system (including programs to assist startups) may redress this balance and give Japan the benefits of both types of technology transfer systems. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Kneller, 2007. "The beginning of university entrepreneurship in Japan: TLOs and bioventures lead the way," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 435-456, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:32:y:2007:i:4:p:435-456
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-006-9024-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10961-006-9024-9
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-006-9024-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kneller, Robert, 2003. "Autarkic drug discovery in Japanese pharmaceutical companies: insights into national differences in industrial innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(10), pages 1805-1827, December.
    2. Cohen, Wesley M. & Goto, Akira & Nagata, Akiya & Nelson, Richard R. & Walsh, John P., 2002. "R&D spillovers, patents and the incentives to innovate in Japan and the United States," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8-9), pages 1349-1367, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Braguinsky, Serguey & Honjo, Yuji & 本庄, 裕司 & Nagaoka, Sadao & 長岡, 貞男 & Nakamura, Kenta & 中村, 健太, 2010. "Science-Based Business : Knowledge Capital or Entrepreneurial Ability? : Theory and Evidence from a Survey of Biotechnology Start-ups," IIR Working Paper 10-05, Institute of Innovation Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    2. Nobuya Fukugawa, 2013. "University spillovers into small technology-based firms: channel, mechanism, and geography," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 415-431, August.
    3. Hălăngescu, Constantin I., 2012. "Mundus academicus: arhitectura și adaptarea la fluxurile globalizării (I) [Mundus academicus: architecture and adaptation to globalization flows (I)]," MPRA Paper 36839, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. KANG Byeongwoo & MOTOHASHI Kazuyuki, 2020. "Local Industry Influence on Commercialization of University Research by University Startups," Discussion papers 20086, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    5. Shibayama, Sotaro & Lawson, Cornelia, 2021. "The use of rewards in the sharing of research resources," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(7).
    6. Kitagawa, Fumi, 2008. "Policy Reforms, New University-Industry Links and Implications for Regional Development in Japan," Papers in Innovation Studies 2008/8, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    7. Weiping Wu, 2010. "Managing and incentivizing research commercialization in Chinese Universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 203-224, April.
    8. Walsh, John P. & Huang, Hsini, 2014. "Local context, academic entrepreneurship and open science: Publication secrecy and commercial activity among Japanese and US scientists," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 245-260.
    9. Pluvia Zuniga, 2011. "The State of Patenting at Research Institutions in Developing Countries: Policy Approaches and Practices," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 04, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division, revised Dec 2011.
    10. Liudvika Leisyte, 2015. "Understanding knowledge disclosure of bioscientists," CHEPS Working Papers 201503, University of Twente, Center for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS).
    11. repec:wip:wpaper:4 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Mu-Hsuan Huang & Hsiao-Wen Yang & Dar-Zen Chen, 2015. "Industry–academia collaboration in fuel cells: a perspective from paper and patent analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 105(2), pages 1301-1318, November.
    13. Anne Miner & Yan Gong & Michael Ciuchta & Anthony Sadler & John Surdyk, 2012. "Promoting university startups: international patterns, vicarious learning and policy implications," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 213-233, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Crass, Dirk & Garcia Valero, Francisco & Pitton, Francesco & Rammer, Christian, 2016. "Protecting innovation through patents and trade secrets: Determinants and performance impacts for firms with a single innovation," ZEW Discussion Papers 16-061, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    2. Sternitzke, Christian, 2013. "An exploratory analysis of patent fencing in pharmaceuticals: The case of PDE5 inhibitors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 542-551.
    3. Sanghoon Ahn & Bronwyn H. Hall & Keun Lee (ed.), 2014. "Intellectual Property for Economic Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15464.
    4. Lin, Feng-Jyh & Wu, Shang-He & Hsu, Maw-Shin & Perng, Chyuan, 2016. "The determinants of government-sponsored R&D alliances," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5192-5195.
    5. Lee Branstetter & Kwon Hyeog Ug, 2004. "The Restructuring Of Japanese Research And Development: The Increasing Impact Of Science On Japanese R&D," Discussion papers 04021, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    6. Crass, Dirk & Valero, Francisco Garcia & Pitton, Francesco & Rammer, Christian, 2019. "Protecting Innovation Through Patents and Trade Secrets: Evidence for Firms with a Single Innovation," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 26(1), pages 117-156.
    7. Dirk Czarnitzki & Katrin Hussinger & Bart Leten, 2020. "How Valuable are Patent Blocking Strategies?," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 56(3), pages 409-434, May.
    8. Ceccagnoli, Marco & Lee, You-Na & Walsh, John P., 2024. "Reaching beyond low-hanging fruit: Basic research and innovativeness," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    9. Anna Potekhina & Knut Blind, 2020. "What motivates the engineers to patent? A study at the Chinese R&D laboratories of a European MNC," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 461-480, April.
    10. Norio Sawabe & Susumu Egashira, 2007. "The knowledge management strategy and the formation of innovative networks in emerging industries," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 277-298, June.
    11. Rajeev K. Goel, 2020. "IPR infringement in the United States: impacts on the input and output of R&D," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 481-493, April.
    12. Blind, Knut & Thumm, Nikolaus, 2004. "Interrelation between patenting and standardisation strategies: empirical evidence and policy implications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1583-1598, December.
    13. Anna Rita Bennato & Stephen Davies & Franco Mariuzzo & Peter Ormosi, 2019. "Mergers and Innovation: Evidence from the Hard Disk Drive Market," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2018-04v3, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    14. Femminis, Gianluca & Martini, Gianmaria, 2011. "Irreversible investment and R&D spillovers in a dynamic duopoly," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1061-1090, July.
    15. Chen, Yu & Wang, Yuandi & Hu, Die & Zhou, Zhao, 2020. "Government R&D subsidies, information asymmetry, and the role of foreign investors: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment on the shanghai-hong kong stock connect," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    16. Francesco Aiello & Paola Cardamone & Valeria Pupo, 2019. "New evidence on the firm-university linkages in Europe. The role of meritocratic management practices," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(6), pages 813-828, November.
    17. Julie Callaert & Maikel Pellens & Bart Looy, 2014. "Sources of inspiration? Making sense of scientific references in patents," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 98(3), pages 1617-1629, March.
    18. Segarra Blasco, Agustí & Arauzo Carod, Josep Maria, 2005. "External sources of innovation and industry-university interaction:evidence from Spanish firms," Working Papers 2072/1751, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Economics.
    19. You-Na Lee & John P. Walsh, 2012. "Intra-organizational integration and innovation: organizational structure, environmental contingency and R&D performance," ICER Working Papers 20-2011, ICER - International Centre for Economic Research.
    20. Ushijima, Tatsuo, 2009. "R&D intensity and acquisition and divestiture of corporate assets: Evidence from Japan," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 61(5), pages 415-433, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Joint/sponsored research; Startups; TLOs; IP ownership; Large vs. small company collaborations; Biomedical vs. engineering inventions; International comparisons; D23; D73; O32; O34; O38; O57;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:32:y:2007:i:4:p:435-456. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.