IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/scient/v126y2021i11d10.1007_s11192-021-04157-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Community-level characteristics and member firms’ invention: evidence from university–industry innovation community in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wenjing Wang

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

  • Yiwei Liu

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

Abstract

Increased attention has been drawn to the phenomenon of community-based innovation; however, researchers have mainly emphasized firm-centric communities, paying little attention to non-firm members. This study focuses on university–industry (U–I) innovation communities to address this gap. Using China’s joint patent application data from 2000 to 2017, we construct a U–I collaboration network, identified existing U–I innovation communities, and reveal community-level characteristics of birth, expansion, maturity, and self-renewal in a lifecycle framework. The results suggest that average geographical distance negatively affects firm invention production and within-community knowledge diversity positively affects firm innovation. The effects of dynamic attributes indicate that U–I community membership turnover affects member firm’s patent production in an inverse U-shaped manner. In addition, a firm’s within-community network position exerts a moderating effect on the relation between community membership dynamics and firm innovation. In theoretical terms, this study combines innovation community and social network theories, using a lifecycle framework to examine the influence of the specified characteristics in facilitating member firms’ invention productivity. Finally, this study discusses the practical implications for U–I community stakeholders and policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenjing Wang & Yiwei Liu, 2021. "Community-level characteristics and member firms’ invention: evidence from university–industry innovation community in China," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(11), pages 8913-8934, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:11:d:10.1007_s11192-021-04157-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-021-04157-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11192-021-04157-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11192-021-04157-w?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. Anthony Goerzen & Paul W. Beamish, 2005. "The effect of alliance network diversity on multinational enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 333-354, April.
    2. René Belderbos & Martin Carree & Boris Lokshin & Juan Fernández Sastre, 2015. "Inter-temporal patterns of R&D collaboration and innovative performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 123-137, February.
    3. Jensen, Paul H. & Palangkaraya, Alfons & Webster, Elizabeth, 2015. "Trust and the market for technology," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 340-356.
    4. Clarysse, Bart & Wright, Mike & Bruneel, Johan & Mahajan, Aarti, 2014. "Creating value in ecosystems: Crossing the chasm between knowledge and business ecosystems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1164-1176.
    5. Ron Adner & Rahul Kapoor, 2016. "Innovation ecosystems and the pace of substitution: Re-examining technology S-curves," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 625-648, April.
    6. Simon Rodan & Charles Galunic, 2004. "More than network structure: how knowledge heterogeneity influences managerial performance and innovativeness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 541-562, June.
    7. Jingbei Wang & Naiding Yang, 2019. "Dynamics of collaboration network community and exploratory innovation: the moderation of knowledge networks," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(2), pages 1067-1084, November.
    8. Kyriakos Drivas & Claire Economidou, 2015. "Is geographic nearness important for trading ideas? Evidence from the US," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 629-662, August.
    9. Keld Laursen & Toke Reichstein & Ammon Salter, 2011. "Exploring the Effect of Geographical Proximity and University Quality on University-Industry Collaboration in the United Kingdom," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(4), pages 507-523.
    10. Christian Catalini & Christian Fons-Rosen & Patrick Gaulé, 2020. "How Do Travel Costs Shape Collaboration?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(8), pages 3340-3360, August.
    11. Roderik Ponds & Frank Van Oort & Koen Frenken, 2007. "The geographical and institutional proximity of research collaboration," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(3), pages 423-443, August.
    12. Hausman, Jerry & Hall, Bronwyn H & Griliches, Zvi, 1984. "Econometric Models for Count Data with an Application to the Patents-R&D Relationship," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 52(4), pages 909-938, July.
    13. Lynn, Leonard H. & Mohan Reddy, N. & Aram, John D., 1996. "Linking technology and institutions: the innovation community framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 91-106, January.
    14. Olga Bruyaka & Rodolphe Durand, 2012. "Sell-off or shut-down? Alliance portfolio diversity and two types of high tech firms' exit," Post-Print hal-00668609, HAL.
    15. Joel West & Karim Lakhani, 2008. "Getting Clear About Communities in Open Innovation," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(2), pages 223-231.
    16. Yeniyurt, Sengun & Carnovale, Steven, 2017. "Global supply network embeddedness and power: An analysis of international joint venture formations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 203-213.
    17. Yindan Ye & Kevin De Moortel & Thomas Crispeels, 2020. "Network dynamics of Chinese university knowledge transfer," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 1228-1254, August.
    18. Geoffrey G. Bell, 2005. "Clusters, networks, and firm innovativeness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 287-295, March.
    19. Hervas-Oliver, Jose-Luis & Sempere-Ripoll, Francisca & Boronat-Moll, Carles, 2021. "Technological innovation typologies and open innovation in SMEs: Beyond internal and external sources of knowledge," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    20. 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.
    21. Ray Reagans & Ezra W. Zuckerman, 2001. "Networks, Diversity, and Productivity: The Social Capital of Corporate R&D Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 502-517, August.
    22. Melissa A. Schilling & Corey C. Phelps, 2007. "Interfirm Collaboration Networks: The Impact of Large-Scale Network Structure on Firm Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(7), pages 1113-1126, July.
    23. Dedehayir, Ozgur & Mäkinen, Saku J. & Roland Ortt, J., 2018. "Roles during innovation ecosystem genesis: A literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 18-29.
    24. Raffaele Paci & Stefano Usai, 2000. "Technological Enclaves and Industrial Districts: An Analysis of the Regional Distribution of Innovative Activity in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 97-114.
    25. Aimilia Protogerou & Yannis Caloghirou & Spyros Lioukas, 2012. "Dynamic capabilities and their indirect impact on firm performance," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 21(3), pages 615-647, June.
    26. Ranjay Gulati, 1999. "Network location and learning: the influence of network resources and firm capabilities on alliance formation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(5), pages 397-420, May.
    27. Shaker A. Zahra & Satish Nambisan, 2011. "Entrepreneurship in global innovation ecosystems," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 1(1), pages 4-17, March.
    28. Guan, Jiancheng & Zhao, Qingjun, 2013. "The impact of university–industry collaboration networks on innovation in nanobiopharmaceuticals," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 80(7), pages 1271-1286.
    29. Andre Torre & Alain Rallet, 2005. "Proximity and Localization," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 47-59.
    30. Lin, Yini & Wu, Lei-Yu, 2014. "Exploring the role of dynamic capabilities in firm performance under the resource-based view framework," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 407-413.
    31. Linus Dahlander & Lars Frederiksen, 2012. "The Core and Cosmopolitans: A Relational View of Innovation in User Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 988-1007, August.
    32. Gun Jea Yu & Joonkyum Lee, 2017. "When should a firm collaborate with research organizations for innovation performance? The moderating role of innovation orientation, size, and age," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(6), pages 1451-1465, December.
    33. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Salerno, Mario Sergio & Ikenami, Rodrigo Kazuo, 2018. "Unpacking the innovation ecosystem construct: Evolution, gaps and trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 30-48.
    34. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    35. Ranjay Gulati & Phanish Puranam & Michael Tushman, 2012. "Meta‐organization design: Rethinking design in interorganizational and community contexts," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(6), pages 571-586, June.
    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. Wang, Wenjing & Lu, Shan, 2021. "University-industry innovation community dynamics and knowledge transfer: Evidence from China," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    2. Wenjing Wang & Yiwei Liu, 2022. "Does University-industry innovation community affect firms’ inventions? The mediating role of technology transfer," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 906-935, June.
    3. Jiancheng Guan & Yan Yan & Jingjing Zhang, 2015. "How do collaborative features affect scientific output? Evidences from wind power field," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 102(1), pages 333-355, January.
    4. Marcus Conlé & Henning Kroll & Cornelia Storz & Tobias ten Brink, 2023. "University satellite institutes as exogenous facilitators of technology transfer ecosystem development," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 147-180, February.
    5. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2014. "Proximity, network formation and inventive performance: in search of the proximity paradox," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(2), pages 395-422, September.
    6. Ferretti, Marco & Guerini, Massimiliano & Panetti, Eva & Parmentola, Adele, 2022. "The partner next door? The effect of micro-geographical proximity on intra-cluster inter-organizational relationships," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. 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.
    8. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    9. Lee, Cheng-Yu & Wang, Ming-Chao & Huang, Yen-Chih, 2015. "The double-edged sword of technological diversity in R&D alliances: Network position and learning speed as moderators," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 450-461.
    10. Olivier Bouba-Olga & Marie Ferru, 2011. "La dimension spatiale des collaborations pour l'innovation : une analyse sur données CIFRE (1981-2006)," Revue d'économie régionale et urbaine, Armand Colin, vol. 0(3), pages 449-468.
    11. Mila Davids & Koen Frenken, 2015. "Proximity, knowledge base and the innovation process: The case of Unilever’s Becel diet margarine," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1504, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Feb 2015.
    12. Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2010. "The Spatial Evolution of Innovation Networks: A Proximity Perspective," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Utku Ali Rıza Alpaydın & Rune Dahl Fitjar, 2021. "Proximity across the distant worlds of university–industry collaborations," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(3), pages 689-711, June.
    14. Rachel Bocquet & Caroline Mothe, 2015. "Can a governance structure foster cluster ambidexterity through knowledge management? An empirical study of two French SME clusters," Knowledge Management Research & Practice, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 329-343, August.
    15. Ganesh Pillai, Rajani & Bindroo, Vishal, 2020. "Supplier cluster characteristics and innovation outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 576-583.
    16. Jiuling Xiao & Yuting Bao & Jiankang Wang, 2023. "Which neighbor is more conducive to innovation? The moderating effect of partners’ innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 33-67, February.
    17. Weizhen Yu & Shuanping Dai & Feng Liu & Yi Yang, 2023. "Matching disruptive innovation paths with entrepreneurial networks: a new perspective on startups’ growth with Chinese evidence," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 878-902, July.
    18. Yongli Tang & Kazuyuki Motohashi & Xinyue Hu & Angeles Montoro-Sanchez, 2020. "University-industry interaction and product innovation performance of Guangdong manufacturing firms: the roles of regional proximity and research quality of universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 578-618, April.
    19. Yao, Li & Li, Jun & Li, Jian, 2020. "Urban innovation and intercity patent collaboration: A network analysis of China’s national innovation system," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    20. Riccardo Crescenzi & Andrea Filippetti & Simona Iammarino, 2017. "Academic inventors: collaboration and proximity with industry," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 730-762, August.

    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:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:11:d:10.1007_s11192-021-04157-w. 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.