International technology transfer in the aircraft industry from the perspective of the newly industrialized countries

For the purposes of fortifying their country's either military hardware or export-led manufacturing expansion, most Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) incline to establish their production capability in aircraft industry so that they can "spin-off" or "spin-on" the aircraft technology into commercial aircraft, or military aircraft sector, respectively. Those motivations for establishing the aircraft industry in most NICs create different perceptions and results in the International Technology Transfer (ITT) of the aircraft industry from Industrialized Advanced Countries (IACs) to NICs.;For its methodology, this study starts by exploring each NICs' perception of an appropriate national aircraft industrial pattern from the political, defense, and economic perspectives, and then categorized these perceptions into three different ITT models. To identify the differences between the three ITT models as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each model, this study also adopts two variables--the technology capability and the National Innovation Systems (NISs) of each NIC. An optimal ITT model provides for the further transformation of the three models, allowing NICs to maximize the development of the aircraft industry in their countries.;The study concludes that countries with different perceptions of their political, defense, and economic requirements will follow the three following ITT models. The POM (Political-Oriented Model) describes NICs with a high political capability, high defense requirements, and a low economic capability, such as Israel and South Korea. In this model, we find very high export value in aircraft parts and auxiliary systems as well as parallel development of military and commercial aircraft. However, exports of complete aircraft, either military or commercial, are not found. The DOM (Defense-Oriented Model) groups NICs with high defense requirements, a low economic capability, and a low political capability, such as Taiwan. In this model, we find high capability in the military aircraft sector. However, marketing efforts and NISs are not found from an overall national economic perspective. Grouped into the EOM (Economic-Oriented Model) are NICs with a high political capability, a high economic capability, and low defense requirements, such as Brazil and Indonesia. In this model, we find very successful business strategies in marketing commercial aircraft, as well as expressing government policies relating to ITT.;The three ITT models have the capacity to transform themselves into an optimal ITT model. Further evolution among them can be recognized as a consequence of "market pull". Both the POM and DOM will adopt policies to shift to the EOM sphere. Policies regarding the maximization of political and economic capability can be developed by reducing defense requirements and adopting business-oriented strategies.;Two additional findings were also identified--a License/Semi-Indigenous/Indigenous (LSII) technology development pattern and a Triangular Learning Process (TLP). The standard LSII pattern and TLP describe the ideal transfer process that receiving countries should follow. However, the NICs' learning curve and the IACs' willingness to transfer can create the different LSII patterns and TLP figures in each country. Thus, this study concludes that a country's "absorbability" the human resource, government policies, and domestic industrial infrastructure of the receiving country, requires further research.