A gap-analysis model for identifying effective government support for new technology-based firms (NTBFs) in Thailand

Over the past two decades successive Thai governments have taken a proactive approach to stimulating R&D activities and technology development in Thai companies. Various Thai governments have established policies and measures for supporting New Technology-based Firms (NTBFs) in the nation's infrastructure. Recent Thai governments have shifted their focus towards developing a robust infrastructure for national innovation systems. The stated intention is to create and convert local knowledge into commercially viable outputs to sustain innovative activity. Key pioneering work was carried out by the Thailand Development and Research institute (TDRI) in the mid-1990s (TRDI, 1998). This was followed by work which focused on financial supporting initiatives (Turpin et. al. (2002). Yencken and Hindle (2005) added a further useful dimension by setting out a framework for the creation of new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Part of Yencken and Hindle's (2005) framework suggests that governments should audit their holistic infrastructure and work to fill gaps in the whole network of support. Without this viewpoint, efforts may under-perform. In the current empirical study reported here, the author seeks to develop Yencken and Hindle's (2005) framework in the context of Thailand. Two key concerns are discussed in some depth. Firstly, what policies and measures should the Thai government pursue in order effectively to foster entrepreneurship and innovation? Secondly, how best could the Thai government identify gaps for improving existing policies and measures?