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Science Parks and the Co-location of High-tech Small- and Medium-sized Firms in China’s Shenzhen

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  • Fangfang Cheng
  • Frank van Oort
  • Stan Geertman
  • Pieter Hooimeijer

Abstract

Science parks (SPs) have received special attention as a policy tool to facilitate localised economic growth by attracting high-tech firms, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The effectiveness of this strategy has been called into question. Empirical studies suggest that the benefits of SPs for high-tech firms are limited. While this debate is mainly concentrated in the US and Europe, this paper sheds light on the role of SPs in China. It is found that, despite the presence of alternatives, the locations of high-tech SMEs in the region of Shenzhen are determined by hierarchically structured and governed SPs. This finding supports the notion that SPs can play a positive role in attracting high-tech SMEs. Moreover, these effects occur in the relatively unexplored Chinese context of increasingly liberalised but governed market circumstances, where a mature innovation system is still lacking.

Suggested Citation

  • Fangfang Cheng & Frank van Oort & Stan Geertman & Pieter Hooimeijer, 2014. "Science Parks and the Co-location of High-tech Small- and Medium-sized Firms in China’s Shenzhen," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(5), pages 1073-1089, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:51:y:2014:i:5:p:1073-1089
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098013493020
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Fenghua Pan & Bofei Yang, 2019. "Financial development and the geographies of startup cities: evidence from China," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(3), pages 743-758, March.
    3. Hans R.A. Koster & Fang Fang Cheng & Michiel Gerritse & Frank G. van Oort, 2019. "Place‐based policies, firm productivity, and displacement effects: Evidence from Shenzhen, China," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(2), pages 187-213, March.
    4. 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.
    5. Rui Torres de Oliveira & Simona Gentile-Lüdecke & Sandra Figueira, 2022. "Barriers to innovation and innovation performance: the mediating role of external knowledge search in emerging economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1953-1974, April.
    6. T. Theeranattapong & D. Pickernell & C. Simms, 2021. "Systematic literature review paper: the regional innovation system-university-science park nexus," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 2017-2050, December.
    7. Isabel Diez-Vial & Angeles Montoro-Sanchez, 2017. "Research evolution in science parks and incubators: foundations and new trends," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(3), pages 1243-1272, March.
    8. Zhuang, Liang & Ye, Chao, 2020. "Changing imbalance: Spatial production of national high-tech industrial development zones in China (1988-2018)," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    9. Ren Lu & Torger Reve & Jing Huang & Ze Jian & Mei Chen, 2018. "A Literature Review Of Cluster Theory: Are Relations Among Clusters Important?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 1201-1220, September.
    10. Liping Fu & Xiaodi Jiang, 2019. "Does the Multiple-Participant Innovation Improve Regional Innovation Efficiency? A Study of China’s Regional Innovation Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-16, August.

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