Conditions of Network Engagement

There is growing research interest in innovation network dynamics. Based on an explorative case study of a regional innovation network for the tourism industry, this chapter contributes to a better understanding of network engagement as a dynamic and social construct. By following the microfoundational trend, the chapter anchors the concept of engagement at a lower level in order to increase the depth of understanding of the conditions of network engagement. As there are many different notions of engagement, the chapters start by providing an overview of the different notions of engagement in innovation and network literature. Then, inspired by the critical incident technique, a narrative presents the findings, showing the dynamic and social aspect of network engagement, followed by a discussion of the conditions of network engagement and theoretical contributions.

The Knowledge Based View of Embedding Strategy for Platforms Enterprises

Dialectically linking with heterogenous suppliers, manufacturers, consumers and resources, emerging e-commerce platforms achieve and maintain competitive advantage. Based on different levels of innovation network content and structure, YEATION and YOUPIN, two typical ecommerce platforms, adopt different strategies involving the promotion of value-seeking. Many decisions concern how companies perceive the innovation environment and how to engage in the innovation network. Knowledge base view provides useful theoretical lens to understand the network embedding approach for electric business platform enterprises. To put forward, enterprises with wide breadth should adopt structural strategy give priority to relational embeddedness, on the other hand, enterprises of which the depth of knowledge base is deep and width of insufficient shall adopt strategy give priority to the embedding of structure. It is also proposed that platform enterprises should not adopt a single embeddedness strategy but should adopt auxiliary embeddedness strategy in a timely manner.

Analysis on Evolution Characteristics and Dynamic Mechanism of Urban Green Innovation Network: A Case Study of Yangtze River Economic Belt

This study puts forward a logical framework for green innovation network analysis, which includes a spatial dimension, a relational dimension, and a systems dimension. Here, we put forward some basic research ideas concerning the optimization and regulation of green innovation networks in terms of the systems dimension and we investigate the micro-dynamic mechanisms of green innovation network expansion using a spatial econometric model. Our main research results are as follows: The efficiency of green innovation in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has improved significantly, however, the gap between cities has gradually increased, and a problem of efficiency regression has emerged. The green innovation network has changed from the primary stage dominated by Edge Network to the rapid growth stage dominated by Supporting Network, and formed a complex network pattern with diversified hierarchical structure. Node symmetry is helpful in forming more extroverted connections and promoting the expansion of green innovation networks. Node proximity and connection symmetry inhibit the growth and development of networks, and knowledge flow cooperation networks can accelerate the evolution of green innovation networks. Finally, this paper holds that we should combine the actual development needs, emphasize the basic principles of differentiated development, and construct the development pattern of regional collaborative innovation. This can also provide a theoretical reference for enriching our understanding of green innovation networks while narrowing the gap between cities.

Weaving an Innovation Network from the Middle Out: the Case of the Renewable Energy Ecosystem

BackgroundRenewable energy (RE) systems are becoming a central component of the clean energy transition and often seen as the way to combat climate change. Their establishment requires innovation, investments, and deployment policies for emerging technologies. Governments around the world are increasingly trying to create and support the energy-tech and climate-tech innovation ecosystems in their attempt to promote an innovation-supporting environment. However, energy innovation policies are often aligned with the dichotomous notion of technology-push and market-pull, and overlook the social, political, and cultural contexts in which RE innovative technologies are embedded, and the multiple actors and interactions that are associated with their development. By combining the Middle-Out Perspective (MOP) and innovation literature, this paper argues that an innovation ecosystem could be weaved from the middle-out.MethodsThis paper analyses the case of Israel’s RE innovation ecosystem creation through the lens of the MOP and applies a socio-technical interpretation to the push and pull terminology. Process tracing methodology was applied to trace a sequence of events to determines whether an actor was pushed or pulled, the formation of a network of actors, and its evolvement to an energy innovation ecosystem from the middle-out. Data for the analysis was collected from interviews, policy papers, media articles and Governmental decisions.ResultsThe analysis demonstrates how middle actors push the implementation of RE technologies in Israel, and at the same time pull decision-makers and other middle actors to promote the low carbon transition. The push and pull forces and the interactions between actors lead to the engagement of new stakeholders in the innovation network, the adoption of more ambitious RE targets and supporting policies, and to the creation of an effective RE innovation ecosystem.ConclusionsThis paper uses the MOP as an analytical framework and the push and pull terminology to demonstrate how a middle actor initiates and develops an actor-network by interacting with other actors. As this network broadens, it forms an effective innovation ecosystem. Network of actors have the potential to lead change, provide innovative ideas, initiate research, encourage investments, create employment possibilities, and promote regional sustainable development.

Feature and Tendency of Technology Transfer in Z-Park Patent Cooperation Network: From the Perspective of Global Optimal Path

Purpose This study aims to provide a new framework for analyzing the path of technology diffusion in the innovation network at the regional level and industrial level respectively, which is conducive to the integration of innovation resources, the coordinated development of innovative subjects, and the improvement of innovation abilities. Design/methodology/approach Based on the Z-Park patent cooperation data, we establish Inter-Enterprise Technology Transfer Network model and apply the concept of Pivotability to describe the key links of technology diffusion and quantify the importance of innovative partnerships. By measuring the topologically structural characteristics in the levels of branch park and the technosphere, this paper demonstrates how technology spreads and promotes overall innovation activities within the innovation network. Findings The results indicate that: (1) Patent cooperation network of the Z-Park displays heterogeneity and the connections between the innovative subjects distribute extremely uneven. (2) Haidian park owns the highest pivotability in the IETTN model, yet the related inter-enterprise patent cooperation is mainly concentrated in its internal, failing to facilitate the technology diffusion across multiple branch parks. (3) Such fields as “electronics and information” and “advanced manufacturing” are prominent in the cross-technosphere cooperation, while fields such as “new energy” and “environmental protection technology” can better promote industrial integration. Research limitations Only the part of the joint patent application is taken into account while establishing the patent cooperation network. The other factors that influence the mechanism of technology diffusion in the innovation network need to be further studied, such as financial capital, market competition, and personnel mobility, etc. Practical implications The findings of this paper will provide useful information and suggestions for the administration and policy-making of high-tech parks. Originality/value The value of this paper is to build a bridge between the massive amount of patent data and the nature of technology diffusion, and to develop a set of tools to analyze the nonlinear relations between innovative subjects.

Analysis on Evolution Characteristics of Industry University Research Innovation Network in Guizhou Province Based on Patent

Based on the industry-university-research cooperation patent data of Guizhou Province from 1986 to 2020, this paper constructs Guizhou industry-university-research innovation network, and empirically explores the overall structural characteristics of Guizhou industry-university-research innovation network, such as network scale and network density, as well as the time evolution dynamics of nodes and cooperation intensity. It is found that the scale of industry-university-research innovation network in Guizhou Province is gradually expanding, the nodes are gradually increasing, and more cooperative groups have been formed, but the overall network is low density; Guizhou University and other universities and scientific research institutions have always occupied the central position of the network. Although enterprises are not in the core position, the intensity of cooperation with institutions is gradually increasing.