Water resource R&D efficiency in Korea – toward sustainable integrated water resources management

In 2018, the Korean government established a legal foundation for integrated water management. Accordingly, various measures for integrated water management were taken, and water research and development (R&D) is being integrated with the Ministry of Environment. Strategic planning is needed for the efficient implementation of integrated large-scale water R&D. This study aims to analyze the efficiency of large-scale R&D programs in the field of water resources conducted by the Korean government and identify matters of priority for planning future water resources R&D programs. An empirical analysis was conducted using data envelopment analysis (DEA), in particular, a non-radial slack-based measure (SBM) model was applied to consider slacks in the input and output variables. The results showed that the efficiency of collaborative R&D projects was relatively lower than that of single projects. Further, corporate research institutes, which are typically considered as the leaders of technological innovation, were found to have conducted projects less efficiently than universities or public research institutes. Based on these results, this study recommends that: (1) a system to maximize the advantages of collaborative research should be established; (2) institutional support to enhance the enterprise's innovative activities should be prepared; and (3) comprehensive, long-term planning for integrated water management should be implemented. Highlights The Korean government has established a legal foundation for IWRM.; SBM model of DEA was used to measure efficiency of water R&D projects in Korea.; The efficiency of single R&D projects is better than that of collaborative projects.; Corporate research institutes have less efficient R&D projects than universities or public research institutes.; IWRM should be incorporated with comprehensive, long-term perspective.