6.3 Engineering Consultancy and Design Services

Capabilities in design engineering, pilot plant, quality control and market research are essential for the transformation of R&D results into commercial production. The essential link between the R&D inventions and production and service enterprises is provided by the engineering design and consultancy services. Engineering and design organizations are a very important mechanism for utilizing indigenously developed technologies and can make significant contributions in operationalizing the technology development until the stage of its commercialization, from the feasibility study to the promotion of technology exports. These organizations can undertake the activities related to establishment of industrial units and infrastructure facilities from the planning and designing stage to the erection of plant and maintenance.

Engineering services in Japan can be divided into two types, specialized and comprehensive. Specialized engineering companies perform engineering work in specific fields independently to multi-clients, or they do plant engineering as affiliates to parent companies. Comprehensive engineering companies conduct not only engineering work, but also construction of plants, sometimes even manufacturing and sale of machine and equipment. The study results of the Japan Small Business Corporation are widely disseminated among small and medium enterprises in the form of orientation as well as demonstration for various industry groups. Several other promotional organizations in Japan such as the JRDC, AIST, research institutes and corporations undertake activities pertaining to engineering design, prototype products or pilot-plant / equipment development.

In Korea, engineering firms undertake plant engineering services as also specialized engineering services in different fields of engineering such as design analysis, investigation, purchasing and supply, testing supervision, trial operation, evaluating, consulting, technical feasibility, data processing and analysis, maintenance and operation, application of scientific and technological knowledge of high quality and research and development.