National and International Dimensions of the Triple Helix in Japan: University-Industry-Government versus International Co-Authorship Relations

TL;DR

This study analyzes Japanese and Canadian publication data from 1981-2004 to examine how international co-authorship and Triple Helix relations influence national innovation systems, revealing a decline in national Triple Helix cohesion but increased international collaboration.

Contribution

It uniquely combines analysis of international co-authorship and Triple Helix relations in Japan using mutual information, highlighting their evolving interplay over time.

Findings

Japanese Triple-Helix system eroded at the national level.

International co-authorship reduced uncertainty since the 1990s.

International collaborations led to relative uncoupling of local university-industry relations.

Abstract

International co-authorship relations and university-industry-government ("Triple Helix") relations have hitherto been studied separately. Using Japanese (ISI) publication data for the period 1981-2004, we were able to study both kinds of relations in a single design. In the Japanese file, 1,277,823 articles with at least one Japanese address were attributed to the three sectors, and we know additionally whether these papers were co-authored internationally. Using the mutual information in three and four dimensions, respectively, we show that the Japanese Triple-Helix system has continuously been eroded at the national level. However, since the middle of the 1990s, international co-authorship relations have contributed to a reduction of the uncertainty. In other words, the national publication system of Japan has developed a capacity to retain surplus value generated internationally. In a final section, we compare these results with an analysis based on similar data for Canada. A relative uncoupling of local university-industry relations because of international collaborations is indicated in both national systems.