A Consideration on Cooperative R&D among Competitors : A Case of Computer and Communication Industries

Abstract

Because of the serious changes of Japanese economical situations during these ten years, it is required to create new business area and to enhance competitive power, which imposes great pressure on R&D. Reviewing developments of industrialization in the advanced countries, we can find some coordinating centers which promoted cooperative activities. In this paper, we will review the role of NTT in the computer and communication industry of Japan before NTT's privatization, and then discuss about the coordinating functions for cooperation and information trading among rivals in R&D activities to make innovation or to penetrate into new business area.