A study on generation process of path dependency for scientific research and an effect of the dependency on R & D for enterprises

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03966
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Management
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Women's University (2022); Ritsumeikan University (2018-2021); Rikkyo University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: Shinagawa Keisuke 福岡女子大学, 女性リーダーシップセンター, 教授 (70791549)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: scientific progress / path dependency / knowledge accumulation / routine / 科学進歩 / 経路依存 / 知識蓄積 / ルーチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In community of researchers who comprise specialised academic fields in the natural sciences, there is a phenomenon in which they are trapped by previous achievements and accumulated knowledge, and pursue their own research without being aware of the progress and current status of other fields. In this study, this phenomenon is defined as path dependency, and quantitative analysis (analysis of bibliographic information on relevant scientific papers) and qualitative analysis (interviews with researchers, etc.) are conducted on competing academic fields, which are considered key to the development of high-tech products with a high degree of reliance on natural science, but which have been divided in their success or failure, respectively. Theorise the process by which 'path dependence' emerges and its impact on corporate R&D.

Free Research Field

経営学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

経路依存が自然科学分野の研究者集団でも生じることについて学術的に解明するものは見られない。そこで経路依存の発生過程について定性分析と定量分析（論文書誌情報分析）とを合わせて議論を進めた。加えてそれが企業の研究開発に及ぼす影響について議論した。結果、成功に至らなかった集団は大企業の保守的な体質の影響を受けやすく既存の理論や知識の蓄積に焦点を当て、新しいアプローチを敬遠するルーチンを持つこと、成功に至った集団は、保守的な体質を有さず既存の科学理論を覆すような試みを頻繁に行う型破りなルーチンを有していたことが分かった。この結果は企業の研究開発戦略策定において熟慮すべきものとして意義を持つと考える。