Pao-Long Chang

The innovation systems of Taiwan and China: a comparative analysis

This paper presents an analytical framework to compare two distinguishing innovation systems. For recognizing the structural characteristics of innovation systems, six major functions of generic types of institutions involved in the systems are examined: policy formulation, performing R&D, financing R&D, promotion of human resource development, technology bridging, and promotion of technological entrepreneurship. Not only does it describe the role and performance of particular institutions, but this framework also explores four major interactions among these institutions for illustrating the dynamics and efficiency of innovation systems, that is, R&D collaboration, informal interaction, technology diffusion, and personnel mobility. The framework is applied to compare the innovation systems of Taiwan and China, revealing that they both have unique characteristics, while also sharing numerous complementary features. In addition, the two economies have the linguistic, cultural, racial and historical similarities, plus their geographical proximity. Consequently, these phenomena suggest the possibility of future cooperation between the two innovation systems, and then this paper proposes possible approaches to achieving cooperation for the two sides.  2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing patterns of intersectoral innovation diffusion in Taiwan and China: A network analysis

Abstract This paper presents a quantitative method for comparing the structure and performance of intersectoral innovation diffusion in the Taiwanese and Chinese innovation systems. The network of intersectoral innovation diffusion is constructed and proxied by the product-embodied R&D flow matrices calculated by the use of data on input–output tables and sectoral R&D expenditure. The two networks are structurally compared with the help of methodologies derived from the network analysis, which are conducted at the national, cluster and individual levels to thoroughly examine the multi-embededness of the sectors situated in a technological diffusion network. This study shows that the two systems have similar distributions of key sectors, including the cores, i.e. machinery and equipment, electronic parts and components, and the sources, i.e. chemicals and basic metals, of innovation flows. However, significant differences also exist. For example, the Taiwanese system is characterized by higher degrees of systemic connection and hierarchy, while the Chinese system has looser density and less centralization. Additionally, the Taiwanese system appears capable of more efficient innovation diffusion among vertically related industries than the Chinese system due to the former containing more effective clusters. Finally, China’s technological concentration is centered on heavy industry, while Taiwan is focused on high-tech industry.

Internal learning climate, knowledge management process and perceived knowledge management satisfaction

Effective knowledge management (KM) has been a topic of great interest and extensively studied by organization researchers. Yet there is little research that attempts to explain the organizational KM performance in terms of employees’ satisfaction. To address this gap, this paper proposes a path model employing a number of constructs: innovativeness, interfunctional coordination, the KM processes of socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization, and employees’ perceived KM satisfaction. Empirical testing of the model is based on a sample of 157 enterprises from the Taiwanese information service industry. The results show that 10 of the 16 hypothesized relationships are supported by empirical data. The implications of these findings for knowledge management are discussed.

Buffer allocation in flow-shop-type production systems with general arrival and service patterns

This study investigates the buffer allocation strategy of a flow-shop-type production system that possesses a given total amount of buffers and finite buffer capacity for each workstation as well as general interarrival and service times in order to optimize such system performances as minimizing work-in-process, cycle time and blocking probability, maximizing throughput, or their combinations. In theory, the buffer allocation problem is in itself a difficult NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem, it is made even more difficult by the fact that the objective function is not obtainable in closed form for interrelating the integer decision variables (i.e., buffer sizes) and the performance measures of the system. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present an effective design methodology for buffer allocation in the production system. Our design methodology uses a dynamic programming process along with the embedded approximate analytic procedure for computing system performance measures under a certain allocation strategy. Numerical experiments show that our design methodology can quickly and quite precisely seek out the optimal or sub-optimal allocation strategy for most production system patterns.

The formation process of Taiwan's IC industry—method of technology transfer

Abstract This article studies the formation process of Taiwan s integrated circuit (IC) industry, which in 1973 consisted of assembly plants only but has since grown to comprise a complete industry infrastructure, including design, mask, fabrication, and assembly capabilities. Taiwans IC industry was formed in the following way: IC technology, strategically selected by the government, was introduced from RCA of the USA by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and then transferred to the industrial sector after being assimilated and improved. This article describes the formation process, including the selection of the IC industry as a target industry, the introduction of foreign technology, the assimilation and improvement of the introduced technology, and the transfer of this technology to local industry. Through a process of introducing, developing and disseminating technology, Taiwans IC industry was established.

A stage approach for industrial technology development and implementation - the case of Taiwan's computer industry

The objective of this paper is to study how government-supported RD market timing; and industrial technology requirements. This approach shows how R&D institutes can effectively help industrial technology to develop step-by-step, thus upgrading technological capability and fostering overall industrial growth.

Demand forecasting and smoothing capacity planning for products with high random demand volatility

For those products that are heavily competitive in the marketplace, demand volatility and unpredictability have been growing. This has resulted in a sizeable deviation in demand forecasts when using the traditional forecasting methods. Accordingly, this study aims to develop a real option approach-based forecasting model for predicting demand during the upcoming planning horizon for products with high random volatility on demand. The real option approach can effectively deal with the long-term trends and random variation involved in a given demand stochastic diffusion process. Additionally, this study proposes taking Monte Carlo simulation as a numerical method to solve the demand-forecasting model. Monte Carlo simulation not only can accurately approximate almost any type of stochastic processes, but also can competently handle the path-dependant relationship existing between successive demands. Subsequently, these demand forecasts are used to determine the provisioned smoothing capacity during the upcoming planning horizon. To this end, this study also proposes several effective and practical smoothing capacity-planning approaches in accordance with the specified production strategy. Based on a numerical example, the integrated planning approach can obtain a plausible result.

Analytic approximations for multiserver batch-service workstations with multiple process recipes in semiconductor wafer fabrication

This study extends previous results for batch-service workstations to batch-service/batch-lot workstations with multiple process recipes, e.g., diffusion operations in semiconductor manufacturing. The model considered herein explicitly considers the existence of a manufacturing operation associated with multiple process recipes in the semiconductor factory. Consequently, the revised balance equations are submitted and an improved approximation is presented for this case. Based on a comparison with simulation results, this new approximation is shown to be superior to the previously developed analytical approaches. This new approximation is especially strong in cases where the number of process recipes grows, system traffic intensity is moderate, and arrival rate of each recipe is nearly the same.

An integration framework of innovation assessment for the knowledge-intensive service industry

As innovation becomes critical in the trend of the knowledge economy and there is significant growth in the knowledge-intensive service industry (KISI), this study tries to explore the nature of the KISI and the concept of innovation measurement. We suggest the three dimensions of the assessment – capability, behaviour and performance – as the basic conceptual building stones linking the system view of innovation and the target – KISI – to establish an integration framework. An illustrative case of the Industrial Technology and Research Institute (ITRI), the largest nonprofit R&D institute in Taiwan, was conducted to show the actual application of the framework. The integration framework provides better support to the explanation of the assessment results with the diagnostic and strategic management of innovation problems. It is helpful to reveal in-depth issues, such as the innovation performance may not be good in spite of good capability, or that a good performance may not be sustainable due to weak capability and aberrant behaviour. An assessment with higher resolution may be needed to produce more significant indicators for the specific types of KISI in future research.

Customer involvement with services in public libraries

Explains that public libraries with well‐established library systems have flourished in Taiwan during the past four decades owing to economic prosperity. Points out that despite this, less than one‐tenth of the population in the community served by these libraries have registered as library users. Suggests that this relatively low level of use by customers may be due to a lack of awareness of the services that the public library has to offer. Proposes an effective approach to designing marketing strategies to incorporate marketing channels, corresponding communications messages and service quality dimensions, in order to promote the use of library services, and thus change the use pattern of current customers. Uses involvement segmentation and a hierarchy‐of‐effects paradigm.