부산대학교 도서관

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that affect doctors’ engagement in medical device innovation. While the engagement of professionals in medical innovation is essential for the growth of the medical device industry, there is little research on the factors that influence doctors’ engagement in the activities. Therefore, we designed a questionnaire based on the findings of management studies, which have focused on the factors that affect/inhibit individual engagement in innovation activities. The subjects were doctors who are members of two hospitals affiliated with Yokohama City University and their affiliated hospitals. In this survey, we investigated the characteristics and motivations of doctors engaged in medical device innovation. Also, we explored the factors that may inhibit their engagement and the conditions under which involvement is likely to occur. The sample includes 26 doctors who have engaged and 55 doctors who have not yet engaged. From t-test and correlation analysis, we found the positive relationships between engagement and five factors: colleague effect (recommendation from doctor’s organization and the colleagues who have engaged), lead-userness, intrinsic motivation, problem-solving orientation, and the motivation for resource acquisition. Furthermore, data suggested negative relationships between engagement and two factors: incompatibility with the area of expertise and cost (e. g., spending effort and time on activities). These results suggest managers and governmental policymakers need to design a system that encourages and supports medical professionals’ engagement.