Hybrid management of technology in innovation ecosystem

Abstract

Japan and the U.S. demonstrated contrasting successes through mutual inspiration between them during the last three decades. Japan increased its competitiveness in an industrial society of the 1980s, which was described with the motto, "Japan as No.1".Contrary to its economic stagnation in the 1980s, the U.S. accomplished significant economic development in an information society of the 1990s.However, the U.S.was concerned about losing competitiveness while Japan revived its economy in the beginning of the 2000s. Through these experiences, Japan has accomplished conspicuous technology advancement and subsequent productivity increase by overcoming the threats and constraints of a sustainable development of economy and society. This accomplishment can be attributed to a sophisticated combination of industrial efforts and government stimulation induced by indigenous co-evolutionary dynamisms between innovation and institutional systems, including the national socio-economic system, culture and history. Such a unique system enables the hybrid management of technology,fusing indigenous strength and learning from global best practices. However, the reactivation of the co-evolutionary dynamisms between innovation and institutional systems early this century has led to the bi-polarization of Japanesehightechnology firms in their performance, which reveals the limitations of the hybrid management of technology during the globally simultaneous stagnation period. The bipolarization suggests that supra-functionality beyond the traditional economic value would reboot the hybrid management of technology. Consequently, the interaction between innovation and consumers bringing the supra-functionality has become significant. The supra-functionality may satisfy demand in emerging countries, particularly in Asia, presenting new growthopportunities with their vast and untapped markets. It may in turn induce further innovation, leading to co-evolutionary dynamism between Japan and emerging Asian countries, appreciated as co-evolutionary domestication of innovation resources. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.