Complexity and the Triple Helix

This chapter provides an updated discussion of China’s national and regional innovation systems. First, it introduces the unique development path and distinct characteristics of China’s national and regional innovation systems. Second, it reviews the evolution of China’s national and regional innovation systems, which is divided into five periods: the pre-reform era (1949–1978), the end of the chaos and the beginning of a new era (1978–1985), the reform of China’s science and technology (S&T) system (1985–1998), the scaling-up of S&T system reform (1998–2006), and the improvement of the national S&T system (2006–2013). Third, it describes the overall structure of China’s national innovation system, illustrating the components and interactions (e.g., university-industry linkages, military and civilian integration) within the system. Then, it evaluates the overall performance of China’s national and regional innovation systems. Lastly, it points out future directions for deepening the reform of China’s national innovation system and continuing to pursue innovation-driven development.

Chang Y.-C. Systems of innovation, spatial knowledge links and the firm's innovation performance: towards a national–global complementarity view, Regional Studies. This paper examines the interdependence between regional, national and global systems of innovation by juxtaposing two sectors (integrated circuits and biotechnology) in two countries (Taiwan and the UK). Via a postal questionnaire survey, a data set was collected of 149 integrated circuits and biotechnology firms on their spatial knowledge links and innovative performance. Results reveal that the spatial knowledge links that can enhance a firm's innovative performance are moderated by the conditions of regional and national systems of innovation. An eclectic view of national–global complementarity on interplay of geographical systems of innovation that enhances firms' innovative performance is concluded. Chang Y.-C. Les systèmes d'innovation, les liens de connaissance géographiques et le taux d'innovation des entreprises: vers une perspective nationalo-mondiale de la complémentarité, Regional Studies. Cet article cherche à examiner l'interdépendance entre les systèmes d'innovation régional, national et mondial en juxtaposant deux secteurs d'activité (à savoir, les circuits intégrés et la biotechnologie) à deux pays (à savoir, le Taiwan et le R-U). A partir d'un questionnaire par correspondance, on recueillit un ensemble de données sur les liens de connaissance géographiques et le taux d'innovation de 149 entreprises des secteurs des circuits intégrés et de la biotechnologie. Les résultats laissent voir que les liens géographiques qui pourraient augmenter le taux d'innovation d'une entreprise se voient atténuer par les conditions préalables des systèmes d'innovation régional et national. Il en résulte une perspective éclectique de la complémentarité nationalo-mondiale quant à l'interaction des systèmes d'innovation géographiques qui augmentent le taux d'innovation des entreprises. Systèmes d'innovation Liens de connaissance géographiques Taux d'innovation Biotechnologie Semi-conducteur Chang Y.-C. Systeme der Innovation, räumliche Wissensverknüpfungen und die innovative Leistung von Firmen: auf dem Weg zu einer Ansicht der national–globalen Komplementarität, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag werden die Interdependenzen zwischen regionalen, nationalen und globalen Systemen der Innovation untersucht, wofür zwei Sektoren (integrierte Schaltkreise und Biotechnologie) in zwei Ländern (Taiwan und Großbritannien) einander gegenübergestellt werden. Mit Hilfe eines postalisch versandten Fragebogens wurde in einer Umfrage ein Datensatz von 149 Firmen der Bereiche integrierte Schaltkreise und Biotechnologie mit Informationen über deren räumliche Wissensverknüpfungen und innovative Leistung erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die räumlichen Wissensverknüpfungen, die die innovative Leistung einer Firma verbessern können, durch die Bedingungen der regionalen und nationalen Innovationssysteme begrenzt werden. Den Abschluss bildet eine eklektische Ansicht der national–globalen Komplementarität hinsichtlich der Wechselwirkungen von geografischen Innovationssystemen, die die innovative Leistung von Firmen verbessern. Systeme der Innovation Räumliche Wissensverknüpfungen Innovative Leistung Biotechnologie Halbleiter Chang Y.-C. Sistemas de innovación, enlaces de conocimiento espacial y el rendimiento de innovación de las empresas: hacia una visión de complementariedad nacional–global, Regional Studies. En este artículo examino la interdependencia entre los sistemas regional, nacional y global de la innovación al yuxtaponer dos sectores (circuitos integrados y biotecnología) en dos países diferentes (Taiwán y el Reino Unido). Mediante un estudio con un cuestionario por vía postal, se recabó un conjunto de datos de 149 empresas de circuitos integrados y biotecnología sobre sus enlaces de conocimiento espaciales y el desempeño de innovación. Los resultados indican que los enlaces de conocimiento espaciales que pueden mejorar el desempeño de innovación de las empresas están moderados por las condiciones de los sistemas regionales y nacionales de innovación. Resumo dando una visión ecléctica de la complementariedad nacional–global sobre la interacción de los sistemas geográficos de innovación que mejoran el rendimiento innovador de las empresas. Sistemas de innovación Enlaces de conocimiento espaciales Desempeño de innovación Biotecnología Semiconductor

For more than three decades, Innovation System (IS) approach has gained attention in the field of study, which is reflected in the evolution and growth of the scientific production of documents (literature) on the subject. Over time, variations of IS were formulated, such as National Innovation System (NIS) and Regional Innovation System (RIS), both taking as focal point a territorial unit and representing an important part of IS literature. Nevertheless, there are few works focused on the analysis of NIS and/or RIS literatures, and even more scarce those that aim to compare both. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the documents that constitute NIS and RIS literatures (published from 1990–2021), using bibliometrics, in order to stablish similarity and differences. Among the most relevant findings, it was noted that for the most part, authors, institutions and funding sources involved in NIS and RIS are not the same. In addition, regarding the topics addressed, there are three basic groups of keywords in common, however, for NIS some areas of knowledge and technologies take relevance, while for RIS, the territory (region) has a more preponderant role. This work may be useful specially for newcomers (as young academics/researchers or those getting into new research areas) in the field of study of NIS and RIS, two concepts that are related and can be appeared similar at first glance (often being the second, considered just a sublevel of the former) thus, selecting the most appropriate approach could be difficult.

This research aims to analyze the role of public innomediaries as driver for fostering technology diffusion through open innovation in national innovation system. Particularly, an empirical case study of technology transfer center in ITRI from Taiwan will be discussed to explain the business model of public innomediary devised in this study. This research reveals that the public innomediaries, such as the technology transfer center in ITRI, have advantages of multiple technology channels, industrial and technological reputation, industrial visibility, public platform and network of technological demand, thereby operating their process of technology search, sorting, reconfiguration, and delivery for technology diffusion and further building a friendly environment of open innovation in national or regional innovation system.

National systems of innovation, innovation niches, and diversity in university systems

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the strategic role of world-class universities and the international academic profession in the regionalisation project of China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA). It illustrates the way in which the case of the GBA regionalisation project offers a potentially rich empirical example for adding contextual understanding to the literature of the Triple Helix model, which largely draws on inductive theorising from western successful innovation cases. The GBA regionalisation processes will provide a wealth of empirical cases for identifying circumstances that address tensions and increase interactions in the Triple Helix relationship of university, government and industry for fostering knowledge synergies.Design/methodology/approachFocusing on the case of Hong Kong, it engages in policy and stakeholder analysis and addresses three key research questions: What are the competitive advantages and potential strategic role of Hong Kong's universities and academic profession in the regionalisation of innovation systems in the GBA? What is the role of the governments in the regionalisation processes? What are the expected opportunities and challenges offered by the GBA policy initiatives for the future development of Hong Kong’s universities and academic profession?FindingsHong Kong, given its status as an international finance centre and global city with intense internationalisation and established judicial system operated by the rule of law, will contribute to the GBA development by leveraging on its edge in scientific research and development and international networks of academic research through the world-class academic profession. Scientists and researchers in the city, possessing the competitive advantages of basic research and international partnerships, are highly regarded by the central government. The engagement of Hong Kong’s scientific talents, can play an important role in achieving China’s aspiration of becoming a global technology power.Research limitations/implicationsAnalysis of this article implies that the GBA concept is currently China’s ambitious but vague economic plan. The opportunities in which key node cities and knowledge/ innovation clusters will capture and capitalise from the regional ‘co-opetitive” ’entrepreneurial ecosystem are still unclear. The future of the GBA regionalisation is so dynamic and open-ended that grounded concepts related to the governance innovation/ discourse of ‘one country two systems’ and social connectedness and capitalisation with Chinese characteristics will help in making sense of the contextualisation of a Chinese regional innovation system and enhancing the sophistication of reconceptualisation of the Triple Helix model.Originality/valueThis article will add to the literature some novel contextualised knowledge about the GBA’s potential triple-helix relationship between government-university-industry in the 21st century. The empirical example of China’s GBA will also shed light on a new understanding of the role of international social capital in the entrepreneurial knowledge economy, dynamics between basic and applied research, and a synergistic interface between regionalisation and national innovation system.

The conceptual discussion on innovation systems, emphasizing the importance of interaction between actors, institutions and policy elements for supporting technology-based economic development, has been marked by separate debates on issues of national, regional, international and sectoral systems for a long time. Recently researchers increasingly engage in logically connecting system scales which provides important insights into interdependencies. Theoretical considerations, however, have hardly been associated with ideas for application, despite the strong political value attached to the innovation systems idea by international organizations. This paper highlights the function of the innovation systems approach for policy conceptualization, focusing on the question how systems on different spatial scales—from the international over the national to the regional one—could be linked and coordinated for achieving positive effects. Major issues are which features of a national innovation system enable the evolution of successful regional innovation systems, and how a fruitful integration of international impulses into systemic approaches could be facilitated. First it is discussed which qualities usually attributed to the functioning of innovation systems are best taken care of at which spatial scale. Then the paper outlines a policy framework that aims at expediently combining tasks of innovation support at different spatial levels including the national, regional, and international dimensions.

Although there is a plethora of studies about the role of Triple/ Quadruple Helix in strengthening the local, national and regional systems of innovation, few focuses on relationship between Triple Helix model type and the intermediary organisations. The intermediary organisations are useful in facilitating knowledge, technology and skills transfer among the collaborating partners. Three main types of Triple Helix models have been identified within the literature, namely: university-push, government-led and business-driven models. The purpose of this critical literature review study is to characterise the nature of intermediary organisations in each model of Triple Helix. The preliminary findings show that there is an overlap between various Triple Helix models, hence one can rather refer to a dominant model. As a result, certain intermediary organisations have been identified as key stakeholders in several types of Triple Helix models. The roles of these organisations might be shifted between being a performer, enabler or facilitator in various type of Triple Helix models. Three case studies used a China (government-pull), Finland (business-led) and the United States (university-push). The findings of this study are useful for an in-depth understanding of the organisations and their role in triple Helix cooperation. Further empirical research can be useful in strengthening the findings of this study.

Development of modern economic system is taking place based on the concept of “knowledge economy”. And thus the main method to stimulate economic development is to introduce innovations. Within the functioning of national innovation systems, there is the integration of science, education, capital, and production that, on the one hand, allows creating innovations and, on the other, stimulates the development of the economy precisely due to the formation of the synergetic effect of cooperation of many participants of innovative process. The subject of research is the interrelation of innovative activity with economic efficiency and economic growth at the macrolevel. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to evaluate influence of development of national innovation systems on the economic efficiency, and a number of tasks are carried out in order to achieve it: development of integrated indicators to evaluate operating efficiency of national innovation systems, identification of relationship between the level of development of national innovation systems and the level of economic development of countries, evaluation of development of individual national innovation systems, and determination of influence of the level of national innovation systems’ development on the economic growth of countries. The methodology of research of influence of development level of national innovation systems on the economic growth of countries is based on building integral indices, which are calculated by using the method of geometric average of partial indices and construction of regression models, which allow evaluating the influence of development of national innovation systems on the economic efficiency. In the paper, the author’s method of forming integral indicator to evaluate the level of development of national innovation systems is developed and a method of evaluating their influence on the economy is proposed. Testing of the methodology of evaluation of national innovation systems’ development is carried out based on data of national innovation systems of six countries: Ukraine, Great Britain, Latvia, Germany, Poland, and France. The work proves the existence of a close positive interrelation between the index of national innovation systems’ development and the index of GDP per capita, which is peculiar for all countries under study. Also, there are built regression models according to data of calculation of the index of national innovation systems’ development and its elements with a quite high reliability, which allows using them in order to forecast GDP per capita under conditions of national innovation systems’ development. Moreover, the paper identifies individual features of the influence of separate directions of the functioning of innovation systems on the level of economic development of the countries under study, which provides an opportunity to conduct strategic management for separate directions of the functioning of national innovation systems.

This paper investigates whether the German reunification strengthened the country’s national innovation system, using the Triple Helix (TH) model. In particular, it assesses the various dimensions of the innovation system by analyzing co-authorship networks from 1973 to 2014. Despite the series of policies promoting collaboration between the two regions and the rise in the number of regional collaborations and in the number of papers, the results show that the national innovation system of Germany has worsened since the reunification in 1990, and the role of government is critical in encouraging collaboration. Finally, this paper uses survey data on the type of TH configuration that actually occurred in East Germany as a robustness check.

This research study focuses on the effective formulation and implementation of a national innovation system. It emphasizes that a concept of regional innovation system is a good tool to generate an effective national innovation system, as it can effectively create different regional innovation systems in different regions. Based on this theoretical review, this research will analyze the Iranian sectoral innovation systems in terms of mapping of innovation actors. We will provide modifying recommendations with relying on the experiences of some selected and successful countries. The recommendations will include creating a new institution or modifying the existing institutional mapping of Iran. Finally the macro strategic modifications will be recommended. Key words: Innovation, product, process, marketing, organizational, organization for economic cooperation and development (OECD).

Financial innovation (FI) has gained increasing recognition for promoting the development of national innovation systems (NIS), and vice versa. Nevertheless, the existing literature lacks an investigation into the co-evolution between FI and NIS. To address this gap, we theorize their interactions by illustrating the impact of FI on the structure, functions, and effectiveness of NIS and investigating how NIS enables external and internal drivers for FI, along with multi-country empirical insights. We find that FI brings about changes to the structural, functional, and effectiveness of NIS by influencing the status and roles of innovative actors, providing financial support at various stages of innovation activities, and improving their input efficiency, operation, output, and embedded environment, if appropriately regulated and used. In turn, a NIS enables FI by providing technological support and enhancing the innovative capabilities of the financial system. Evidence from the panel co-integration analysis and practical experiences of 21 sample countries between 2006 and 2022 further demonstrates this co-evolution process over time and mutually influential roles in innovation policy practices. We discuss the implications of our findings in facilitating the co-evolution of FI and NIS for further studies and practices in innovation systems and policies.

Regional Innovation Cluster for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME): A Triple Helix Concept

In order to advance the understanding of which types of regional innovation system represent effective innovation support for what kinds of industry in different regions analyses must be contextualized by reference to the actual knowledge base of various industries as well as to the regional and national institutional framework, which strongly shape the innovation processes of firms. Of special importance is the linkage between the larger institutional frameworks of the national innovation and business systems, and the character of regional innovation systems. In making the arguments about a general correspondence between the macro-institutional characteristics of the economy and the dominant form and character of its regional innovation systems a link is provided to the literature on ‘varieties of capitalism’ and national business systems.

KAUFMANN A. and TÖDTLING F. (2000) Systems of innovation in traditional industrial regions: the case of Styria in a comparative perspective, Reg. Studies 34, 29‐40. Concepts of innovation have changed considerably in the past years, the focus shifting from a company perspective to regional and national systems of innovation. In this paper the authors investigate to what extent an innovation system can also be observed in an old industrial region like Styria in Austria, a region undergoing considerable restructuring in the past years. The results for Styria are compared with those for other old industrial regions such as Wales, the Tampere region and the Basque country. The findings show that firms rely only partly on innovation partners within the region; to a considerable extent they are integrated in national and European networks. KAUFMANN A. et TÖDTLING F. (2000) Les réseaux d'innovation dans les régions industrielles traditonnelles: étude de cas comparative de la Styrie, Reg. Studies 34, 29‐40. Au cours des dernières années la notion d'innovation a beaucoup changé, le point de mire étant plutôt les réseaux régionaux et nationaux d'innovation que l'entreprise. Cet article cherche à étudier dans quelle mesure un réseau d'innovation peut se manifester dans une région industrielle traditonnelle comme la Styrie en Autriche, une région en voie de restructuration dans les années récentes. Les résultats pour la Styrie se voient comparer à ceux qui proviennent des régions industrielles traditionnelles, comme le Pays de Galles, la région de Tampere et le pays Basque. Les résultats laissent supposer que les entreprises ne comptent qu'en partie sur le partenariat pour assurer l'innovation; dans une large mesure elles s'intègrent dans des réseaux nationaux et européens. KAUFMANN A. und TÖDTLING F. (2000) Innovationssysteme in alten Industriegebieten: das Beispiel der Steiermark in einer vergleichenden Perspektive, Reg. Studies 34, 29‐40. Die Konzepte der Innovation haben sich in den vergangenen Jahren stark verändert. Ihr Fokus hat sich von einer Unternehmensperspektive hin zu regionalen und nationalen Innovationssystemen verschoben. In dem vorliegenden Artikel untersuchen die Autoren am Beispiel der Steiermark, einer Region, die sich in der Umstrukturierung befindet, in welchem Maße sich ein Innovationssystem auch in einer traditionellen Industrieregion identifizieren läßt. Die Ergebnisse für die Steiermark werden dabei mit jenen anderer alter Industrieregionen wie Wales, Tampere und das Baskenland verglichen. Die Befunde zeigen, daß sich die Unternehmen im Innovationsprozeß nur zum Teil auf Partner in der Region stützen; in einem erheblichen Ausmaß sind sie in nationale und europäische Netzwerke integriert.