IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v50y2025i1d10.1007_s10961-024-10107-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does the innovative city pilot policy improve university–industry collaborations in China?

Author

Listed:
  • Lu Dai

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Yuhan He

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Shougui Luo

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

Abstract

This paper aims to estimate the policy effect of the innovative city pilot policy (ICPP), on the micro-entities’ innovation collaboration. Using the patent data retrieved manually from 1270 Chinese universities and staggered establishments of innovative city pilots in various Chinese cities, we find that ICPP has positive effects on university–industry collaborations (UICs). And a number of additional checks show that the results are robust. Financial support, talent cultivation and interaction, and construction of research facilities are three plausible underlying channels. The policy effects also vary heterogeneously based on city and university characteristics. Our study contributes to the literature on the effect of place-based policies on UICs and provides new insights into improving UIC practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Lu Dai & Yuhan He & Shougui Luo, 2025. "Does the innovative city pilot policy improve university–industry collaborations in China?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 375-398, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:50:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-024-10107-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-024-10107-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-024-10107-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-024-10107-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shen, Huayu & Lan, Fengyun & Xiong, Hao & Lv, Jun & Jian, Jianhui, 2020. "Does top management Team’s academic experience promote corporate innovation? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 464-475.
    2. He, Vivianna Fang & von Krogh, Georg & Sirén, Charlotta & Gersdorf, Thomas, 2021. "Asymmetries between partners and the success of university-industry research collaborations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(10).
    3. Brachert, Matthias & Dettmann, Eva & Titze, Mirko, 2019. "The regional effects of a place-based policy – Causal evidence from Germany," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Benfratello, Luigi & Schiantarelli, Fabio & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2008. "Banks and innovation: Microeconometric evidence on Italian firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 197-217, November.
    5. Bishop, Kate & D'Este, Pablo & Neely, Andy, 2011. "Gaining from interactions with universities: Multiple methods for nurturing absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 30-40, February.
    6. Xuan Tian & Jiajie Xu, 2022. "Do Place-Based Policies Promote Local Innovation and Entrepreneurship? [A model of growth through creative destruction]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(3), pages 595-635.
    7. Cowan, Robin & Zinovyeva, Natalia, 2013. "University effects on regional innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 788-800.
    8. Jaffe, Adam B, 1989. "Real Effects of Academic Research," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(5), pages 957-970, December.
    9. Zeng, Juying & Ning, Zhenzhen & Lassala, Carlos & Ribeiro-Navarrete, Samuel, 2023. "Effect of innovative-city pilot policy on industry–university–research collaborative innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    10. Inzelt, Annamaria, 2004. "The evolution of university-industry-government relationships during transition," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6-7), pages 975-995, September.
    11. Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2014. "Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 116-135.
    12. Magro, Edurne & Wilson, James R., 2019. "Policy-mix evaluation: Governance challenges from new place-based innovation policies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(10).
    13. Sutz, Judith, 2000. "The university-industry-government relations in Latin America," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 279-290, February.
    14. Sabrina T. Howell, 2017. "Financing Innovation: Evidence from R&D Grants," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(4), pages 1136-1164, April.
    15. James A. Brander & Qianqian Du & Thomas Hellmann, 2015. "The Effects of Government-Sponsored Venture Capital: International Evidence," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 19(2), pages 571-618.
    16. Lee, Yong S., 1996. "'Technology transfer' and the research university: a search for the boundaries of university-industry collaboration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 843-863, September.
    17. Hong, Wei & Su, Yu-Sung, 2013. "The effect of institutional proximity in non-local university–industry collaborations: An analysis based on Chinese patent data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 454-464.
    18. Amore, Mario Daniele & Schneider, Cédric & Žaldokas, Alminas, 2013. "Credit supply and corporate innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 835-855.
    19. Kleiner-Schaefer, Timo & Schaefer, Kerstin J., 2022. "Barriers to university–industry collaboration in an emerging market: firm-level evidence from Turkey," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113840, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Etzkowitz, Henry & Leydesdorff, Loet, 2000. "The dynamics of innovation: from National Systems and "Mode 2" to a Triple Helix of university-industry-government relations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 109-123, February.
    21. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    22. Timo Kleiner-Schaefer & Kerstin J. Schaefer, 2022. "Barriers to university–industry collaboration in an emerging market: Firm-level evidence from Turkey," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 872-905, June.
    23. Doruk Cengiz & Arindrajit Dube & Attila Lindner & Ben Zipperer, 2019. "The Effect of Minimum Wages on Low-Wage Jobs," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 134(3), pages 1405-1454.
    24. Guerzoni, Marco & Raiteri, Emilio, 2015. "Demand-side vs. supply-side technology policies: Hidden treatment and new empirical evidence on the policy mix," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 726-747.
    25. Sun, Liyang & Abraham, Sarah, 2021. "Estimating dynamic treatment effects in event studies with heterogeneous treatment effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 175-199.
    26. Naomi Hausman, 2022. "University Innovation and Local Economic Growth," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 104(4), pages 718-735, October.
    27. Fan-Chuan Tseng & Mu-Hsuan Huang & Dar-Zen Chen, 2020. "Factors of university–industry collaboration affecting university innovation performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 560-577, April.
    28. Ekboir, Javier M., 2003. "Research and technology policies in innovation systems: zero tillage in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 573-586, April.
    29. Shi, Xing & Wu, Yanrui & Fu, Dahai, 2020. "Does University-Industry collaboration improve innovation efficiency? Evidence from Chinese Firms⋄," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 39-53.
    30. Hottenrott, Hanna & Lopes-Bento, Cindy & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2017. "Direct and cross scheme effects in a research and development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(6), pages 1118-1132.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dai, Yanke & Du, Ting & Gao, Huasheng & Gu, Yan & Wang, Yongqin, 2024. "Patent pledgeability, trade secrecy, and corporate patenting," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    2. Heller, David, 2024. "Financial market integration and the effects of financing constraints on innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    3. Luo, Lianfa & Cheng, Zhiming & Ye, Qingqing & Cheng, Yanjun & Smyth, Russell & Yang, Zhiqing & Zhang, Le, 2024. "Nonmonetary awards and innovation: Evidence from winning China's Top Brand Contest," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    4. Enrico Vanino & Stephen Roper & Bettina Becker, 2020. "Knowledge to Money: Assessing the Business Performance Effects of Publicly Funded R&D Grants," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 17(04), pages 20-24, January.
    5. Hertweck, Friederike & Yasar, Serife, 2024. "The impact of university openings on local youth," Ruhr Economic Papers 1075, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    6. Li, Donghui & Chen, Wei & Hao, Kaixuan, 2025. "Place-based policies and local technology spillovers: Evidence from national high-tech zones in China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    7. Cheng, Wenyin & Meng, Bo & Gao, Yuning & Dollar, David, 2024. "The paradox of decelerated technology importation and accelerated innovation in China: Insights from national technology development zones," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Fang, Hongxing & Chen, Linghong & Xiong, Jiacai & Zhu, Yushu, 2024. "Social Trust and Entrepreneurship: Insights from China's Social Credit System," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    9. Hu, Shengming & Zhang, Yunyun & Hu, Yao & Wang, Hui, 2024. "Born by water: Does water resource reallocation promote entrepreneurship?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    10. Huang, Wen & Wu, Ying & Deng, Li, 2021. "Does banking competition stimulate regional innovation? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    11. Wenjing Wang & Yiwei Liu, 2022. "Industrial funding and university technology transfer: the moderating role of intellectual property rights enforcement," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1549-1572, October.
    12. Bas Scheer & Wiljan van den Berge & Maarten Goos & Alan Manning & Anna Salomons, 2022. "Alternative Work Arrangements and Worker Outcomes: Evidence from Payrolling," CPB Discussion Paper 435, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    13. Yang Haodong & Liu Jialin & Wang Gaofeng, 2025. "Knowledge Innovation Effect of University Computing Power in China: Evidence from the top500 Supercomputers," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 66(1), pages 1-30, February.
    14. Tobias Schlegel & Curdin Pfister & Dietmar Harhoff & Uschi Backes-Gellner, 2022. "Innovation effects of universities of applied sciences: an assessment of regional heterogeneity," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 63-118, February.
    15. Yi Zhang & Kaihua Chen & Guilong Zhu & Richard C. M. Yam & Jiancheng Guan, 2016. "Inter-organizational scientific collaborations and policy effects: an ego-network evolutionary perspective of the Chinese Academy of Sciences," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 108(3), pages 1383-1415, September.
    16. Deng, Liuchun & Müller, Steffen & Plümpe, Verena & Stegmaier, Jens, 2024. "Robots, occupations, and worker age: A production-unit analysis of employment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    17. Cornaggia, Jess & Mao, Yifei & Tian, Xuan & Wolfe, Brian, 2015. "Does banking competition affect innovation?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 189-209.
    18. Liao, Yanjun (Penny) & Mulder, Philip, 2021. "What's at Stake? Understanding the Role of Home Equity in Flood Insurance Demand," RFF Working Paper Series 21-25, Resources for the Future.
    19. Erdal Asker & Eric J. Brunner & Stephen L. Ross, 2022. "The Impact of School Spending on Civic Engagement: Evidence from School Finance Reforms," Working papers 2022-16, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    20. Davidson, Carl & Heyman, Fredrik & Matusz, Steven & Sjöholm, Fredrik & Chun Zhu, Susan, 2022. "How International Experience Helps Shape Labor Market Outcomes," Working Paper Series 1453, Research Institute of Industrial Economics, revised 09 Jun 2024.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:50:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-024-10107-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.