IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/oup/cjrecs/v10y2017i1p59-76..html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Industrial catch-up in China: a sectoral systems of innovation perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Keun Lee
  • Xudong Gao
  • Xibao Li

Abstract

This study analyses the industrial catch-up in four sectors in China. The technological regime of sectors affects the chance for latecomers to catch up, but the final outcomes also depend on the actions of governments and firms. A successful catch-up requires the growth of indigenous firms rather than dependence on foreign direct investment. The government has an important role, but different forms of intervention across sectors must be identified. For firms, adopting a path-following strategy does not bring ultimate success, whereas leapfrogging is often required. Any uniqueness in the catch-up pattern of China can be attributed to its large size leading to bargaining power in technology transfer. The Chinese markets with several segments also help to nurture indigenous firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Keun Lee & Xudong Gao & Xibao Li, 2017. "Industrial catch-up in China: a sectoral systems of innovation perspective," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 10(1), pages 59-76.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:10:y:2017:i:1:p:59-76.
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cjres/rsw037
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    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. Xiaobai Shen, 1999. "The Chinese Road to High Technology," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-4039-0550-5, December.
    2. Keun Lee & Sunil Mani & Qing Mu, 2012. "Explaining Divergent Stories of Catch-up in the Telecommunication Equipment Industry in Brazil, China, India and Korea," Chapters, in: Franco Malerba & Richard R. Nelson (ed.), Economic Development as a Learning Process, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Gao, Xudong, 2014. "A latecomer's strategy to promote a technology standard: The case of Datang and TD-SCDMA," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(3), pages 597-607.
    4. Gao, Xudong & Liu, Jianxin, 2012. "Catching up through the development of technology standard: The case of TD-SCDMA in China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 531-545.
    5. Lee,Keun, 2013. "Schumpeterian Analysis of Economic Catch-up," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107042681.
    6. Xudong Gao & Ping Zhang & Xielin Liu, 2007. "Competing with MNEs: developing manufacturing capabilities or innovation capabilities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 87-107, April.
    7. Sanjaya Lall, 2000. "The Technological Structure and Performance of Developing Country Manufactured Exports, 1985-98," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 337-369.
    8. Alice H. Amsden & Wan-wen Chu, 2003. "Beyond Late Development: Taiwan's Upgrading Policies," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262011980, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yuanyang Teng & Yicun Li & Xiaobo Wu, 2024. "Exploring the mechanism of path-creating strategy for latecomers: a combined approach of econometrics and causal machine learning," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Grimes, Seamus & Du, Debin, 2022. "China's emerging role in the global semiconductor value chain," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    3. Teng, Yuanyang & Zheng, Jianzhuang & Li, Yicun & Wu, Dong, 2024. "Optimizing digital transformation paths for industrial clusters: Insights from a simulation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    4. Giorgio Prodi & Francesco Nicolli & Federico Frattini, 2020. "Embeddedness and local patterns of innovation: evidence from Chinese prefectural cities," Economic Complexity and Evolution, in: Andreas Pyka & Keun Lee (ed.), Innovation, Catch-up and Sustainable Development, pages 283-307, Springer.
    5. Li, Daitian & Capone, Gianluca & Malerba, Franco, 2019. "The long march to catch-up: A history-friendly model of China’s mobile communications industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(3), pages 649-664.
    6. Judith Clifton & Amy Glasmeier & Alpen Sheth, 2017. "Revisiting development theory: Alice H. Amsden’s impact on the field," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 10(1), pages 3-14.
    7. Long Wang & Qifeng Zhao & Wenyin Chen, 2023. "Political Promotion and Manufacturing Firm Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Review of Economic Assessment, Anser Press, vol. 2(2), pages 1-16, August.

    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. Chang, Sungyong & Kim, Hyunseob & Song, Jaeyong & Lee, Keun, 2024. "Dynamics of imitation versus innovation in technological leadership change: Latecomers’ catch-up strategies in diverse technological regimes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(9).
    2. Kim, Jinhee & Lee, Keun, 2022. "Local–global interface as a key factor in the catching up of regional innovation systems: Fast versus slow catching up among Taipei, Shenzhen, and Penang in Asia," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    3. Amir Lebdioui & Keun Lee & Carlo Pietrobelli, 2021. "Local-foreign technology interface, resource-based development, and industrial policy: how Chile and Malaysia are escaping the middle-income trap," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 660-685, June.
    4. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    5. Kim, Mi-jin & Eom, Doyoung & Lee, Heejin, 2023. "The geopolitics of next generation mobile communication standardization: The case of open RAN," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    6. Sofia Torreggiani & Antonio Andreoni, 2019. "Dancing with dragons: Chinese import penetration and the performances of manufacturing firms in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-63, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Padmashree Gehl Sampath & Bertha Vallejo, 2018. "Trade, Global Value Chains and Upgrading: What, When and How?," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(3), pages 481-504, July.
    8. Petralia, Sergio & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Morrison, Andrea, 2017. "Climbing the ladder of technological development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5), pages 956-969.
    9. Dang, Jianwei & Kang, Byeongwoo & Ding, Ke, 2019. "International protection of standard essential patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 75-86.
    10. Yuzhe Miao & Jaeyong Song & Keun Lee & Chuyue Jin, 2018. "Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends, issues, and future research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 639-669, September.
    11. Keun Lee and John Mathews, 2013. "Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development," CDP Background Papers 016, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    12. Prud’homme, Dan, 2016. "Dynamics of China’s provincial-level specialization in strategic emerging industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1586-1603.
    13. Chen, Shin-Horng & Wen, Pei-Chang, 2016. "Post Catch-up with Market Cultivation and Product Servicizing: Case of Taiwan's Transportation Equipment Industries," AGI Working Paper Series 2016-16, Asian Growth Research Institute.
    14. Michael Murphree & Dan Breznitz, 2018. "Indigenous digital technology standards for development: The case of China," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(3), pages 234-252, December.
    15. Iris Claus & Les Oxley & Peilei Fan, 2014. "Innovation In China," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 725-745, September.
    16. Joo, SH & Oh, C & Lee, Keun, 2016. "Catch-up Strategy of an Emerging Firm in an Emerging Country: Analyzing the Case of Huawei vs. Ericsson with Patent Data," MPRA Paper 109958, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Gehl Sampath, Padmashree & Vallejo, Bertha, 2018. "Global Value Chains and Upgrading: What, When and How?," MERIT Working Papers 2018-016, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    18. Liu, Xiaolu & Li, Honglin, 2016. "Ownership domination in standardization: Evidence from Chinese industrial firms," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 225-241.
    19. Rasmus Lema & Roberta Rabellotti & Padmashree Gehl Sampath, 2018. "Innovation Trajectories in Developing Countries: Co-evolution of Global Value Chains and Innovation Systems," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(3), pages 345-363, July.
    20. Peilei Fan, 2011. "Innovation, Globalization, and Catch-Up of Latecomers: Cases of Chinese Telecom Firms," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(4), pages 830-849, April.

    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:oup:cjrecs:v:10:y:2017:i:1:p:59-76.. 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: Oxford University Press (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://academic.oup.com/cjres .

    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.