Science, technology and innovation (STI) in ASEAN member states – Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei and Myanmar: a comparative study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to furnish empirical evidence on science, technology and innovation governance in the ASEAN Member States (AMS). This is followed by the understanding of the evolution of technology commercialization activities in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Second, the study analyzes the activities of academic-industry technology transfer, barriers in the commercialization of research outputs from universities and its implications in the six AMS countries. The criterion to choose these ASEAN countries is to understand the significance of policy implications and technology transfer in the economy of developing nations/low-middle-income nations. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative data was retrieved from various secondary and published literature sources. The information from the official ministry website was referred to along with the reports published in various countries. Findings The evidence suggests that the nature and extent of technology dissemination are based on policies that are triggered by the primary goals at the national level. The primary goals for supporting science and technology differ in terms of financial budget for stimulating R&D; diffusion of technology transfer; managerial gaps in business; systems for facilitating change; and human resources and intellectual assets. The paper concludes by recommending a few strategies to improve STI among low-middle-income countries among AMS. Originality/value This paper is an original contribution, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, on the effectiveness of public policies for academic technology commercialization among low-middle-income countries among AMS.