Moving into the technological fast lane: from reverse to forward engineering through the establishment of innovation communities in Korea

Abstract

This paper examines the role played by the Korean government in developing an innovation community through the initiation of a national research project. Called the highly advanced nation (HAN) project, its goal is to increase the capabilities of the innovation community to conduct forward engineering. The organizational structure of the HAN project is examined to determine which agencies play the key roles in managing and conducting the research. The results show a shift rewards business organizations as the key conductors of the research, and also highlights changes in the management role played by government.