Identifying the main delivery actors in a technology delivery system: a case study on cloud manufacturing in China

As technology becomes more important and complex, many researchers are exploring systematic methods to model and describe the process of innovation. Among these methods, the Technology Delivery System (TDS) is a representative framework that has captured worldwide attention. In this paper, we identify and analyse the main delivery actors in China's cloud manufacturing (CMfg) TDS. We begin with an introduction to the TDS framework and its components, followed by a novel five-step method for quantitatively and qualitatively determining the main delivery actors in each of the four phases of the innovation process. Our method also identifies the content each actor contributes to CMfg innovation, the relationships between the actors, and combines these individual analyses into a complete picture of the TDS. The conclusions and insights derived contribute to the theoretical development of the TDS framework and generate valuable insights for managers and policymakers involved in developing CMfg technology in China.