A Study on Collaboration between Medical Professionals and Small and Medium-Sized Industrial Enterprises, on the New Entry to Medical Equipment Field in Japan

—An Exploratory Examination of Framework for Knowledge Transfer Process—

Abstract

In developing medical equipment, small and medium-sized industrial enterprises(SMEs)generally have engaged in collaboration with medical professionals. However, a sociological and management study of collaboration between medical professionals and SMEs has yet to be explored. Thus, in this research, an exploratory examination of the framework to analyze the knowledge transfer process on this collaboration is discussed based on existing theories, such as user innovation and knowledge interpreter. Through analyzing some case studies with this framework, authors demonstrate the possibility to capture the overall process. Simultaneously, the issues to be considered about the framework have been revealed. Authors discover some points to improve the framework.