Overcoming latecomer disadvantage through learning processes: Taiwan’s venture into wind power development |
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Authors: | David MacLaughlin Steffanie Scott |
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Institution: | (1) University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
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Abstract: | Research into national innovation systems (NISs) has received extensive academic and policy attention, and is especially relevant
with latecomer countries seeking to innovate in challenging industrial environments. In playing catch up with their early
industrializing counterparts, methods of learning take on increased importance in determining industrial success for latecomers.
The wind turbine technology innovation system is one that is highly dependent on both the extent of the national learning
processes and the strength of the national social-institutional setting. This research investigates the case of Taiwan, a
country which has embarked on a program to build its national innovative capacity in wind turbine technologies with specific
emphasis on Taiwan’s social sector. Within this system, the spotlight will be on four types of learning processes that interplay
during wind turbine development: learning by searching, learning by doing, learning by using, and learning by interacting. Through a case study of the emergence of Taiwan’s burgeoning large-scale wind power technology initiatives, the paper aims
to add to the understanding on how methods of learning impact upon the success of innovation systems. The findings show that
the industry’s future prospects are constrained because of the limited learning by interacting processes between turbine component producers, turbine owners, and researchers and because of weaknesses in the institutional
framework. This research also recognizes the importance that culture has on dominant forms of learning. |
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