Volume 4 Issue 4 ( December 2017 )

Pages 8-15

Social Factors Affecting Innovation Cycle of Liquid Crystal Technologies: A Japanese Case Study

Yu Narazaki1, Tomoaki Watanabe

[ABSTRACT ]

This paper describes how to visualise and resolve the gap between nematic liquid crystal (NLC) technology and blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) technology for liquid crystal displays (LCDs) based on their hype cycles and a comparative literature and patent search. In comparing the result of their hype cycles to the social and economic factors affecting technological innovation in Japan, the inadequacy of scientific advances in BPLC technology was ascertained. This insufficiency caused a reduction in the number of firms related to BPLC technology in Japan, as the driving force of technological innovation consists of the strength of the R&D work taking place in Japanese private enterprises. We concluded that the venture policies of the Japanese government would play an important role in resolving that inadequacy.

Keywords: Liquid crystal technologies, hype cycles, managing innovation.