Innovation Crisis Successes, Pitfalls, and Solutions in Japan

What has gone wrong in Japan that has led to innovation crisis? Prof. Eiichi Yamaguchi has been committed to answer this question, and his quest has spanned several years and academic disciplines. Initially it appeared as if it had no context, but when he put the pieces together, he realized that it was actually one story. This book is a summary of his research over the last 20 years, especially after he moved out of the field of physics, to which he had devoted 21 years. He felt that it was essential for him to do his bit to save this sinking ship, or it would be disrespectful to the future generation.The book integrates his research on innovation policy, innovation theory, and trans-science. It begins with a detailed story of the innovation of blue LEDs, for which three Japanese scientists received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014. It describes the current innovation and science crises in Japan and presents evidence that the strong international competitiveness of science-based industries in the United States is a result of the invention of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) system. It discusses a new theory of innovation structures, showing the error in Clayton M. Christensen’s argument of “disruptive innovation.” It also proposes a new concept for “paradigm disruptive innovation,” emphasizing that abduction and transilience are essential factors for accomplishing it and that their decline has led to the innovation crisis in Japan. Finally, it analyzes the future vision of the innovation ecosystem, which promotes abduction and transilience, for scientists to develop new science-based industries.

Preface. Prologue.1. Introduction 1.1 Japanese Corporates Are No Longer Innovating 1.2 What Can Be Done to Revive Innovation? 1.3 Structure of the Book2. Why Has Japan Failed While America Succeeded? 2.1 What Are the Points of Difference Between Japan and America? 2.2 What Is SBIR? 2.3 Japan’s Institutional Failure3. How Is Innovation Born? 3.1 Abduction: Understanding the True Nature of Science 3.2 Innovation Diagram of Blue LED 3.3 Resonance and Transilience 3.4 Breaking Away from Paradigm Sustaining Innovation4. Science Resonating with Society 4.1 What Is Trans-science? 4.2 Two Symbolic Accidents 4.3 Why Is Scientific Thinking in Organizations Lost?5. Social System That Produces Innovation 5.1 Reconstructing the Fields of Resonance 5.2 Institutional Reform of Universities and Industries 5.3 Toward a Society Where Everyone Pursues ScienceEpilogue. References. Index.

Eiichi Yamaguchi is a professor at Kyoto University, Japan, since 2014. He completed his MSc and DSc from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 1977 and 1984, respectively. He has been senior physicist at NTT Basic Research Laboratory, executive fellow at 21st Century Public Policy Institute of Keidanren, and professor at Doshisha University, Japan. He is the founder of four start-up companies: ArcZone K.K. (1998), Powdec K.K. (2001), ALGAN K.K. (2005), and CONNEXX SYSTEMS K.K. (2011), and is currently a board member of Powdec K.K. He is author of the books Innovation: Paradigm Disruption and Fields of Resonance; Recovering from Success: Innovation and Technology Management in Japan; Root for JR Fukuchiyama Train Incident: Rethinking Corporate Social Responsibility from Science; Fukushima Report: Root Cause for the Nuclear Accident; Five Physics Theories to Learn Before You Die; Science of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy; Why Innovation Ceased: Crisis of Scientific Japan; and The Graves of Physics: Seeking the Secret of Inspiration.