Working Paper Cnr-Ceris, N° 05/2011 

Asian tigers in nanotechnologies: evolutionary path of scientific production of People’s Republic of China, Japan and South Korea

Finardi Ugo*
(Turin University and National Research Council, Ceris-Cnr)
Università di Torino - Dipartimento di Chimica I.F.M.
and NIS - Centre of Excellence
via P. Giuria, 7 - 10125 Torino (Italy)
Tel. +39/011.670 83 85 -Fax +39/011.670 78 55
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ABSTRACT. Nanosciences and nanotechnologies (NST) are a developing scientifictechnological area in full expansion and evolution. Their character of General Purpose Technology has been assessed. Asian countries play a relevant role in the evolutionary path and growth of NST, as in some cases they present a rapid growth of scientific production. This work analyzes the performance of three of such countries – People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea – emphasizing several aspects of their performance in scientific production and putting in reciprocal relations these aspects. Results show a different behaviour of Japan – which starting from a dominant position is loosing ground with respect to its competitors – and of the other two countries which are catching up. Insights on the internal organization and on the mutual relations are also offered, together with a comparison of the relation with other important areas of NST
scientific production.

KEYWORDS: nanotechnologies, nanosciences, evolutionary trends, People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea
JEL CODES: L6; O31; O33

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. The author acknowledges the help and spur of Prof. S. Coluccia and of Prof. L. Battezzati of Dipartimento di Chimica I.F.M. and NIS-Centre of Excellence of the Università degli Studi di Torino, and the collaboration of Prof. S. Rolfo, of Dr. M. Coccia and of Dr. G. Vitali of CERIS-CNR. M. Zittino and E. Viarisio provided meticulous editing. The usual disclaimers apply.

*Ugo Finardi holds an MSc in Industrial Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Materials Sciences and Technology. He is at present Research Assistant at the Department of Inorganic, Physical and Materials Chemistry at the University of Torino and Fellow of Ceris-CNR. He performs research in the fields of Innovation Studies, with a focus on nanotechnologies, research and industrialization of new materials, technology transfer, regional systems of innovation and management of research.

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