Development of Biotechnology in Japan & the U.S.

This paper describes and assesses development of biotechnology in Japan as compared to similar activities in the United States. The paper focuses on seven primary issues. First, problems incurred in the development of this new industry are discussed. Second, the interests, assumptions, and actions of key individuals and organizations involved are addressed. Third, the focus shifts to ethical questions raised surrounding this issue. Fourth, discussion moves to how decisions have been made and should be made. Next, discussion addresses policies that have been made or should be made, followed by outcomes or probable outcomes of those policies. The final issue focuses on implications concerning how science influences policy and how policy influences science. These issues overlap and, thus, it is difficult to clearly define where one issue ends and another begins.

Contemporary biotechnology developed out of the scientific discoveries in genetic engineering in the early 1970s. Such discoveries opened up many opportunities for innovation but they had to be developed and translated into technological innovations. The exploitation of the new opportunities required the adoption of new research perspectives and the acquisition of new capabilities as well as the development and integration of knowledge and technologies.

The primary problem was the translation of scientific knowledge into technical know-how. The translation of scientific knowledg

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projects in the public research institutes. Similarly, the lack of formal channels of communication between university and industry is partially compensated for by the existence of informal networks of communication, based on the personal relationships of professors with former students (Orsenigo, 1989). In sum, in Japan, industry-university ties were rather weak as far as basic research (U.S. Dept. of Commerce (USDC), 1989a) was concerned but well-developed, often on informal bases, in the case of applied research. The relative rigidity of the academic environment in Japan, as compared to the United States, and the absence of formal relationships with industry were examples of yet more factors which hindered the development of industry-university ties comparable to that of the United States. Questions of Ethics and Values A question often posed is why promote biotechnology, which is a knowledge-intensive industry? The answer, although the mixed result of several influences, is summarized using three key points: 1) There was a worldwide tendency to reevaluate the importance of technical innovations. The Japanese were sensitive to the investment trends of other nations, and respected the latent power of technology as a c

Category: Business - D