Boon-Kwee Ng

Technological knowledge, learning and linkages in the wooden furniture industry in Malaysia: a spatial innovation perspective

This paper examines technological knowledge, learning, and linkages in the wooden furniture industry in the Muar cluster of Malaysia in terms of a spatial innovation perspective. The furniture manufacturers form a close partnership with their immediate business environment (the suppliers, customers, retailers and support industries) to enhance the process of interactive learning. The mutual exchange and shared learning process in the cluster are best described as socially constructed and socially embedded processes that are highly associated with the element of trust within the cluster; in addition, tacit knowledge tends to become embedded in the local milieu. The relationship among the community and the furniture industry players is also close. There is a strong social capital and mutual understanding among competitors to see one another as partners, especially in advancing their knowledge in the international markets. The achievement of the Muar furniture cluster is built upon the collective efforts of the entire Muar furniture industry. Firms are always ready to share business opportunities and information. However, the cluster still lacks the design and technological capabilities to move to the original design manufacturing and original brand manufacturing stage.

Innovation for inclusive development in Southeast Asia: the roles of regional coordination mechanisms

Abstract In the past, studies on inclusive development involve mainly the perspective of equitable distribution of economic and societal outputs. This study, however, takes a different approach and analyses the potential roles of regional coordination mechanisms (RCMs), specifically universities and research councils networks within Southeast Asia, in disseminating the innovation-related activities for inclusive development or Innovation for Inclusive Development (IID). The literature on innovation intermediaries within the realm of innovation systems studies was used to establish the framework of the study. The findings indicate that RCMs have a huge potential role to play. However, due to a number of reasons, including lack of funding support, lack of attention and commitment to IID, weak engagement with industry and non-governmental organisations, the implementation of the IID activities was rather poor. As a whole, the study argues that current approaches are not well positioned and it is fragmented preventing the effective use of RCMs despite their potentials for IID efforts. The study attributes this to the systemic failures in the regional coordinating systems. In enhancing the role of RCMs in IID, this study recommends the promotion of IID platform, the leveraging of non-government organisations and industry as well as energising the Southeast Asia engagement in promoting IID.

Technology Diffusion in the Telecommunications Services Industry of Malaysia

This study empirically models technology diffusion and incorporates a more comprehensive framework in understanding the diffusion process of telecommunications technology in Malaysia. We inductively assess the governments conduct in translating the productive rents for upgrading activities. The results show that the proactive role of the government when intervening in market operations has considerably influenced the technology diffusion process. The telecommunications services industry of Malaysia achieved a critical mass of entrepreneurs by first engaging business entrepreneurs in contract services from Malaysian Telecommunications Department, then moved to business diversification at the end of 1970s and is now developing a market platform to furnish its sustainable telecommunications system. We highlight positive general macro-meso views of our case and provide salient normative principles as guides for transformational policy-making. The principles discussed in this paper provide policy lessons, or at least some initial guide, for other developing economies aspiring to follow the path of technology upgrading and development.

Knowledge Structures of City Innovation Systems: Singapore and Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Cities are naturally the center of attention when innovation and its geography are discussed. This paper seeks to elucidate the knowledge structures of the city innovation systems of Hong Kong and Singapore, and shed light on the performance of knowledge production, networks, and features in accordance with: (1) patent portfolios and fields of technology; (2) the patent landscape; and (3) the correlation map between fields and entities that produce patents. Findings indicate that private firms dominate the patenting landscape for the selected economies. Scientific activities performed by universities and public research institutions are converging with technological knowledge performed by firms. Hong Kong and Singapore sought to attain a co-evolution process for science-based industrial development.