The evolving role of collaboration in developing scientific capability: Evidence from Korean government-supported research institutes

Scholars have emphasized the role of collaboration for the development of scientific capability and economic growth in developing countries. However, due to the difficulty in obtaining the appropriate evidence, there has been little empirical research on the role of collaboration in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to analyze the evolving collaboration strategy of Korea’s government-supported research institutes (GRIs). Using 44 years of bibliographic data, our analytic framework, which considers the dependence and diversity in knowledge creation, established three main findings. First, the transition of knowledge inflow into the competency of research organizations in developing countries requires the drive of the government along with the internalization of knowledge. Second, universities play an important role in sharing knowledge as scientific capability grows. Third, the role of GRIs with regards to collaboration changes as the scientific capability of external R&D entities and policy directions change.