IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/envira/v38y2006i1p111-130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cooperation in the Innovation Process in Developing Countries: Empirical Evidence from Zhongguancun, Beijing

Author

Listed:
  • Ingo Liefner
  • Stefan Hennemann
  • Lu Xin

Abstract

Zhongguancun Science Park (ZGC) in Beijing is considered the most innovative region in China. This paper is based on a quantitative survey among ZGC companies that captures the cooperation patterns of the firms. The survey was funded by the German Research Association (DFG). In the process of technological upgrading and innovation, companies in Beijing—as well as in other developing countries—make use of knowledge originating in foreign companies or in universities and public research organizations. The findings presented in this paper confirm that ZGC companies are linked to both sources of knowledge to the same extent. Cooperation with foreign companies helps ZGC companies to get new ideas and to enter the market with new products, whereas cooperation with universities is used mainly to design new products. Thus, the patterns of cooperation show that ZGC can absorb new knowledge from different sources. However, not all of the high-tech companies in ZGC are able to make use of international linkages in the innovation process, as about half of them do not have the necessary capabilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingo Liefner & Stefan Hennemann & Lu Xin, 2006. "Cooperation in the Innovation Process in Developing Countries: Empirical Evidence from Zhongguancun, Beijing," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 38(1), pages 111-130, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:1:p:111-130
    DOI: 10.1068/a37343
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/a37343
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1068/a37343?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Howard Pack & Kamal Saggi, 1997. "Inflows of Foreign Technology and Indigenous Technological Development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 1(1), pages 81-98, February.
    2. David J. Teece, 2008. "Technology Transfer By Multinational Firms: The Resource Cost Of Transferring Technological Know-How," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Transfer And Licensing Of Know-How And Intellectual Property Understanding the Multinational Enterprise in the Modern World, chapter 1, pages 1-22, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Sanjaya Lall, 1998. "Changing Perceptions of Foreign Direct Investment in Development," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: P. K. M. Tharakan & D. Bulcke (ed.), International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment and the Economic Environment, chapter 7, pages 101-134, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Lemoine, Francoise & Unal-Kesenci, Deniz, 2004. "Assembly Trade and Technology Transfer: The Case of China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 829-850, May.
    5. Manfred M. Fischer & Javier Revilla Diez & Folke Snickars, 2001. "Metropolitan Innovation Systems," Advances in Spatial Science, Springer, number 978-3-662-04630-2, Fall.
    6. Liu Wei, 2001. "Incentive systems for technical change: the Chinese system in transition," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(2), pages 157-177.
    7. Yu Zhou & Tong Xin, 2003. "An Innovative Region in China: Interaction Between Multinational Corporations and Local Firms in a High-Tech Cluster in Beijing," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 79(2), pages 129-152, April.
    8. Erik Baark, 2001. "TECHNOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CHINA: Commercialization Reforms in the Science and Technology Sector," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 18(1), pages 112-129, March.
    9. Audretsch, David B. & Bozeman, Barry & Combs, Kathryn L. & Feldman, Maryann & Link, Albert N. & Siegel, Donald S. & Stephan, Paula, 2002. "The Economics of Science and Technology," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 155-203, April.
    10. Mowery, David C & Oxley, Joanne E, 1995. "Inward Technology Transfer and Competitiveness: The Role of National Innovation Systems," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 67-93, February.
    11. Ann Markusen, 2003. "Fuzzy Concepts, Scanty Evidence, Policy Distance: The Case for Rigour and Policy Relevance in Critical Regional Studies," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(6-7), pages 701-717.
    12. Yifei Sun, 2002. "Sources of Innovation in China's Manufacturing Sector: Imported or Developed in-House?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 34(6), pages 1059-1072, June.
    13. Shi, Yizheng, 2001. "Technological capabilities and international production strategy of firms: the case of foreign direct investment in China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 184-204, July.
    14. Mike Hobday, 1994. "Export‐led Technology Development in the Four Dragons: The Case of Electronics," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 25(2), pages 333-361, April.
    15. P. K. Mathew Tharakan & Danny Bulcke, 1998. "International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment and the Economic Environment," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: P. K. M. Tharakan & D. Bulcke (ed.), International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment and the Economic Environment, chapter 1, pages 1-10, Palgrave Macmillan.
    16. Katrak, Homi, 1997. "Developing countries' imports of technology, in-house technological capabilities and efforts: an analysis of the Indian experience," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 67-83, June.
    17. Marcotte, Claude & Niosi, Jorge, 2000. "Technology Transfer to China: The Issues of Knowledge and Learning," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 43-57, March.
    18. Shulin Gu, 1996. "The emergence of new technology enterprises in China: A study of endogenous capability building via restructuring," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 475-505.
    19. Martin Ruef, 2002. "Strong ties, weak ties and islands: structural and cultural predictors of organizational innovation," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 11(3), pages 427-449, June.
    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. Chung, Leanne & Tan, Kim Hua, 2017. "The unique chinese innovation pathways: Lessons from chinese small and mediuem sized manufacturing firms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 80-87.
    2. Csomós, György & Tóth, Géza, 2016. "Exploring the position of cities in global corporate research and development: A bibliometric analysis by two different geographical approaches," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 516-532.
    3. Kamilia Loukil, 2016. "Innovation Policy and R&D Efficiency in Emerging Countries: a Stochastic Frontier Analysis," Eastern European Business and Economics Journal, Eastern European Business and Economics Studies Centre, vol. 2(3), pages 165-192.
    4. Wang, Yuandi & Zhou, Zhao, 2013. "The dual role of local sites in assisting firms with developing technological capabilities: Evidence from China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 63-76.
    5. Robert Huggins & Shougui Luo & Piers Thompson, 2014. "The competitiveness of China's Leading Regions: Benchmarking Their Knowledge-based Economies," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(3), pages 241-267, July.
    6. Laura Lecluyse & Mirjam Knockaert & André Spithoven, 2019. "The contribution of science parks: a literature review and future research agenda," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 559-595, April.
    7. Gabriela Citlalli López-Torres & Gonzalo Maldonado Guzmán & Sandra Yesenia Pinzón Castro & Ricardo García Ramírez, 2016. "Collaboration and innovation activities in SMEs," Contaduría y Administración, Accounting and Management, vol. 61(3), pages 568-581, Julio-Sep.
    8. Hennemann Stefan & Liefner Ingo, 2006. "Kooperations- und Innovationsverhalten von chinesischen Hochtechnologieunternehmen," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 50(1), pages 58-71, October.
    9. Schøtt, Thomas & Jensen, Kent Wickstrøm, 2016. "Firms’ innovation benefiting from networking and institutional support: A global analysis of national and firm effects," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(6), pages 1233-1246.
    10. Nobuaki Hamaguchi & Yoshihiro Kameyama, 2008. "R&D Partnerships and Capability of Innovation of Small and Medium-Sized Firms in Zhongguancun, Beijing: The Power of Proximity," Discussion Paper Series 225, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    11. Yuandi Wang & Jiashun Huang & Yantai Chen & Xiongfeng Pan & Jin Chen, 2013. "Have Chinese universities embraced their third mission? New insight from a business perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 97(2), pages 207-222, November.
    12. Adel Tlili, 2011. "Une analyse binomiale de la décision d’innovation dans un échantillon d’entreprises privées en Tunisie," Working Papers 605, Economic Research Forum, revised 08 Jan 2011.
    13. Kamilia Loukil, 2018. "The Impact of R&D Collaboration on Technological Innovation in European Countries," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 4(4), pages 34-41, December.

    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. Hennemann Stefan & Liefner Ingo, 2006. "Kooperations- und Innovationsverhalten von chinesischen Hochtechnologieunternehmen," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 50(1), pages 58-71, October.
    2. Ingo Liefner & Yehua Dennis Wei & Gang Zeng, 2013. "The Innovativeness and Heterogeneity of Foreign-Invested High-Tech Companies in Shanghai," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(3), pages 522-549, September.
    3. Aggarwal, Aradhna, 2000. "Deregulation, technology imports and in-house R&D efforts: an analysis of the Indian experience," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1081-1093, December.
    4. Alejandro Bengoa & Amaia Maseda & Txomin Iturralde & Gloria Aparicio, 2021. "A bibliometric review of the technology transfer literature," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1514-1550, October.
    5. Majidpour, Mehdi, 2017. "International technology transfer and the dynamics of complementarity: A new approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 196-206.
    6. Yu Zhou, 2005. "The Making of an Innovative Region from a Centrally Planned Economy: Institutional Evolution in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(6), pages 1113-1134, June.
    7. Sasidharan, Subash & Kathuria, Vinish, 2011. "Foreign Direct Investment and R&D: Substitutes or Complements--A Case of Indian Manufacturing after 1991 Reforms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1226-1239, July.
    8. Panda, Sidheswar & Sharma, Ruchi, 2021. "Do changes in patent policy influence firms’ technology strategy? Evidence from manufacturing in India," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 362-375.
    9. Jonathan R. Clark & Robert S. Huckman & Bradley R. Staats, 2013. "Learning from Customers: Individual and Organizational Effects in Outsourced Radiological Services," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(5), pages 1539-1557, October.
    10. Ahmadvand, Emad & Salami, Seyed Reza & Soofi, Jahanyar Bamdad & Tabatabaeian, Seyed Habibollah, 2018. "Catch-up process in nanotechnology start-ups: The case of an Iranian electrospinning firm," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1-8.
    11. D׳Souza, Derrick E. & Kulkarni, Shailesh S., 2015. "A framework and model for absorptive capacity in a dynamic multi-firm environment," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 50-62.
    12. Jérôme Stuck & Tom Broekel & Javier Revilla Diez, 2016. "Network Structures in Regional Innovation Systems," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 423-442, March.
    13. Scuotto, Veronica & Beatrice, Orlando & Valentina, Cillo & Nicotra, Melita & Di Gioia, Leonardo & Farina Briamonte, Massimiliano, 2020. "Uncovering the micro-foundations of knowledge sharing in open innovation partnerships: An intention-based perspective of technology transfer," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    14. Fu, Xiaolan & Hou, Jun & Liu, Xiaohui, 2018. "Unpacking the Relationship between Outward Direct Investment and Innovation Performance: Evidence from Chinese firms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 111-123.
    15. Sönmez, Alper & Pamukçu, Mehmet Teoman, 2011. "Türkiye Otomotiv Sektöründe Çokuluslu Şirketler Aracılığıyla Ana Sanayiden Yan Sanayiye Yapılan Bilgi ve Teknoloji Transferinin Analizi [Analysis of Knowledge and Technology Transfer by Multination," MPRA Paper 39506, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Qu, Zhe & Huang, Can & Zhang, Mingqian & Zhao, Yanyun, 2013. "R&D offshoring, technology learning and R&D efforts of host country firms in emerging economies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 502-516.
    17. Osabutey, Ellis L.C. & Jin, Zhongqi, 2016. "Factors influencing technology and knowledge transfer: Configurational recipes for Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5390-5395.
    18. Omar S. Dahi & Firat Demir, 2017. "South–South And North–South Economic Exchanges: Does It Matter Who Is Exchanging What And With Whom?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 1449-1486, December.
    19. Jun Hou & Pierre Mohnen, 2013. "Complementarity between In-house R&D and Technology Purchasing: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(3), pages 343-371, September.
    20. Jie Li & Ramkishen Rajan, 2009. "Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Transfer Under Uncertainty in a Liberalizing Host Economy," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 23-41.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:sae:envira:v:38:y:2006:i:1:p:111-130. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.