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Implications of China's innovation policy shift: Does “indigenous” mean closed?

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  • Sebastian Losacker
  • Ingo Liefner

Abstract

China's government aims to become an innovation nation and promotes the development of so‐called indigenous innovation. Under this paradigm of state‐encouraged innovation, however, it is unclear how domestic firms organize their innovation processes. We distinguish between two strategies in that respect: closed versus open innovation. Our findings suggest that firms with closed innovation processes collaborate in close geographic distance, rely on DUI‐modes of learning, and collaborations are based on guanxi. In contrast, firms with open innovation processes collaborate over large distances and rely on STI‐modes of learning that are not necessarily guanxi‐based. The findings help to understand the heterogeneous nature of indigenous innovation in China.

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  • Sebastian Losacker & Ingo Liefner, 2020. "Implications of China's innovation policy shift: Does “indigenous” mean closed?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 1124-1141, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:51:y:2020:i:3:p:1124-1141
    DOI: 10.1111/grow.12400
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    2. Tao Zhuang & Zhixia Zhou & Qingjun Li, 2021. "University‐industry‐government triple helix relationship and regional innovation efficiency in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 349-370, March.

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