Taiwan’s World Innovation Ranking
According to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2006-2007 Global Competitiveness Report, Taiwan ranks the 9th in the world among the 125 countries included in the study. In Asia, however, Taiwan ranked 2nd, only behind Japan (see chart below).
The report indicated that Taiwan’s outstanding performance in the field of innovation was mainly due to widespread university/industry research collaboration, a global third-place ranking in average per-capita utility patents, and government procurement of advanced technology products.
In addition, the report specifically cited Taiwan’s seventh-place world ranking in “higher education and training pillar”. The quantity and quality of higher education in Taiwan reflected the government’s efforts to promote education and the development of elite personnel.
The report noted that even though Taiwan’s global competitiveness ranking dropped from the 8th place in 2005 to the 13th in 2006, the island continues to “operate at a high level of efficiency.” The report pointed out that in the “Institutions Pillar” index, Taiwan’s “overall rank is weighed down by weaknesses in the institutional infrastructure,” pulling the placement down from the 22nd in 2005 to the 32nd in 2006. The problems cited were in the areas of “respect for property rights,” “independence of the judiciary,” and “the extent to which the government gives the private sector freedom to operate.”
Comparative Global Innovation Rankings:
Country (Ranking) Country (Ranking) Country (Ranking)
Japan (1) Finland (6) Singapore (15)
Switzerland (2) Denmark (7) Hong Kong (18)
Germany (3) Israel (8) South Korea (20)
United States (4) Taiwan (9) Malaysia (22)
Sweden (5) England (10) China (57)
Source: World Economic Forum, Global Competitiveness Report 2006-2007; www.weforum.org
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