대·중소기업 상생협력을 통한 환경정의 실현방안에 관한 연구

A Study on Improving the Legislative Support for the Cooperation between Large Enterprises and SMEs to Promote Environmental Justice

This paper conducted a study on the legislations designed to promote cooperation between large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) in an effort to contribute to achieving environmental justice. Based on the expectation that the inter-firm cooperation could open up opportunities to close the gap between firms of different size and capacities in their contributions to promoting environmental justice, this paper analyzed legislations related to the transfer of environmental technologies and cooperation between large companies and SMEs. It was hypothesized that the inter-firm linkage and cooperation could help the relevant firms fulfill their social and environmental responsibilities as well as contribute to enhancing environmental justice. South Korea is equipped with the laws providing a legal foundation to the policies which direct the government to support capacity-building and technology transfer of SMEs. Yet, it has been noted that there exists a lack of legislative and policy support for enterprises in research and innovation areas. This paper suggests that technology transfer between large enterprises and SMEs be actively promoted, which shall be supported by the business adjustment system for SMEs elaborated in the Act on the Promotion of Collaborative Cooperation between Large Enterprises and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. It can be concluded that the adjustment system could contribute to maximizing inter-firm technology transfers if the laws on its implementation and government recommendations are improved. It was drawn from the study of the Small Business Act of the European Union that the EU law and relevant policies presented by the European Commission have consistently emphasized the cooperation between large enterprises and SMEs as well as the value of sharing and transferring knowledge and technology as part of climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. In conclusion, this paper suggests that the South Korean laws supporting inter-firm cooperation in climate change response and technology transfer be consolidated, and the legislative structure be modified so as to promote the implementation through subsequent policies and programs as in the case of the European Union. It is believed that such improvements may contribute to achieving the growth of both large enterprises and SMEs while enhancing environmental justice.