Petrochemical industry is a key industry of making our everyday life plentiful as a basic materials industry with a variety of use ranging from things of our daily necessity to various kinds of industrial materials.
Petrochemical industry of Korea has important effects on economy and other related industries with stable supply of raw materials to both domestic and export industries in Korea. Petrochemical industry of Korea needs to continue its technological innovation in order to be better off with the rapidly changing environment and to obtain international competitiveness.
This thesis has attempted to present the effective direction for accelerating the technological innovation of the petrochemical industry considering the characteristics of the industry and influencing factors through a case study.
The followings are the major findings for the successful technological innovation of the petrochemical industry.
First, the direction of the technological innovation should be changed from the process innovation to the product innovation.
Second, the firms have to diversify their business for high value addition to cope with the structual change of the world petrochemical industry.
Third, R＆D investment should be expanded continuously for enhanced capability.
Fourth, the active import of high-technologies can accelerate the technological innovation in developing countries like Korea.
Finally, the firms should recognize the importance of creating the favorable atmosphere for technological innovation with emphasis on the strategic management of technology.
