Cutting-edge technology

In recent years there has been a growing belief that materials constitute a generic technology of revolutionary significance, ranking alongside information techno- logy and biotechnology. Our main aim is to examine the plausibility of this claim. In so doing we indicate what is distinctive about changes i n materials science and technology, and report on recent forecasts of potential change. Our second aim is briefly to discuss corporate and public policy on materials innovation i n a number of advanced countries. We present some preliminary jindings from interviews conducted with prominent UK materials producers and users. We conclude that there have been some important incremental and radical innovations i n materials technology. But because the diffusion of innovative materials and processes into different industry sectors and products has been uneven, i n terns of their current and likely future impact on the economy as a whole these changes cannot yet be described as revolutionary. The future impact of materials technology will depend not just on the materials innovation strategies of companies and governments, but on their ability to overcome users' conservatism and to convince them of the design and quality improvements that are possible.     

Technology and worker coopratives: some UK evidence and a framework for investigation

This paper considers the relationship between cooperatives i n the ‘new wave’ and the technology they use. Data and examples from the UK are presented to show that there is no general support either for the ‘optimistic’ hypothesis that cooperatives are necessarily able to make humanizing choices about technology or for the ‘pessimistic’ hypothesis that they are completely constrained by technology. A framework is developed for analysing the factors which may or may not allow technological choices. The paper goes on to form a new hypothesis in two parts: firstly, that small firms i n general have more freedom to make choices about technology the more they have independence from large firms and the market, and the more they are i n areas of product innovation, particularly IT-based innovation; secondly, given a degree of freedom to make such choices, the choice is more likely to be made successfully in the direction of humanizing uses of technology the more there is potential for identif;cation between job, product and social or political aims. The paper concludes by describing a research project now under way exploring the relative importance of these factors in established UK worker cooperatives.     

Generic innovation dynamics across the industrial technology life cycle: Platform equation modeling of invention and innovation activity

We describe here a generic approach to innovation dynamics based on an integrated framework for inventions and innovations applied via a platform equation and model across the industrial technology life cycle. We test the model for metals and other materials, and demonstrate that this model correctly describes the production activity for several materials and energy conversion technologies.Innovation activity patterns are shown for several oxides, metals, oil and wind energy and its derivatives. The metals Cu, Al, W, Mo and Pb are particularly studied for the amount produced over time. The total activity for the metals encompasses both the invention and innovation stage for a particular metal. Four major stages and two sub stages are identified for the discovery (invention) and subsequent growth regimes (i.e. the innovation stage). The pattern equation appears to clearly capture all these stages for the metals studied — work is ongoing for similar analyses of energy and other materials. Although the metals studied existed over differing periods (e.g. copper greater than 200 years whereas aluminum, just over 100 years), one single pattern equation appears to capture all the major trends. The use of the model is also shown for productivity analysis, especially for the condition of radical innovation (very rapid growth). For sustained radical innovation, namely, when the output of the produced material per unit time, keeps on increasing with time, there are various factors which may influence growth. For the conditions where thermal activation and plant size are the dominant variables, their impact on the growth may be examined in the context of the pattern equation. A preliminary analysis of oxide production activity also appears to follow this same innovation model.The results suggest a fertile field of future research extending the initial platform equation model to include R&D, Patents, and Performance, as well as Sales, as innovation activity. Further, the model shows promise in combination with the ARI methodology model for analysis and assessment of existing and future industrial technology life cycles involving material, process, product, software and service innovations.     

中国嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新的影响

在对全球价值链嵌入影响绿色技术创新特质、机理、异质性、滞后性与动态效应进行理论分析的基础上，运用2008-2018年中国内地25个省份面板数据，测度中国各省份全球价值链嵌入对绿色技术创新的影响。结果发现：(1)从全国层面看，绿色技术创新是一个动态演化、循序渐进的过程，嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新具有显著促进作用，但这种影响存在逐渐减弱的滞后性；(2)从时间层面看，嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新的影响具有显著时间差异性，伴随着中国自主创新水平提升和环境规制力度加大，以及发达国家逆全球化趋势盛行，近年来嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新的影响日渐减弱；(3)从地区层面看，嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新的影响具有显著地区差异性，中西部地区嵌入全球价值链对绿色技术创新的影响比东部地区更明显。据此，提出进一步优化全球价值链嵌入度、扩大全球价值链溢出效应、缩小不同地区间技术差距等政策建议。     

绿色科技创新、财政投入对产业结构升级的影响——基于长江经济带2003-2019年数据的实证分析

基于长江经济带2003—2019年数据,应用空间杜宾模型实证分析绿色科技创新、财政投入对产业结构升级的影响。结果显示：长江经济带产业结构升级内在动力和空间效应已经形成;绿色科技创新和财政投入分别对产业结构升级有显著短期正向效应;绿色科技创新和财政投入的交互项对产业结构升级有显著负向影响。为此,应当强化综合机制效应,保持长江经济带产业结构升级的内在动力;激励绿色技术创新,发挥科技创新在产业结构升级中的核心作用;提升财政投入绩效,有效激发科技创新投资支持产业升级;作好政策统筹协调,发挥各项政策对产业结构升级的综合作用。     

Antecedents and consequences of green innovation in the wine industry: the role of channel structure

In this study, we place green innovation in a broader technology development, commercialisation and distribution context to test hypotheses in three areas: (1) the internal vs external drivers of green innovation; (2) the effect of green innovation on business performance; and (3) the role of channel structures (the degree to which producers sell directly to consumers or businesses) in making green innovation more productive in terms of business performance. To test our hypotheses, data from an international survey among 123 wineries is used. Our results suggest that internal drivers, i.e. environmental management and quality management in particular, play a greater role than external drivers (e.g. government and regulatory pressures) on the adoption of green innovation strategies. Producing and using organic products and processes and recycling activities are found to have a significant direct positive impact on business performance. Our results also confirm the moderating effect of channel structures: the benefits of green innovation in terms of business performance are larger when firms use more direct sales channels (selling wine directly from the wine cellar to consumers and businesses).     

Innovation and dynamism

Literature on post‐socialist transformation usually deals with the political, economic and social sides of it, although there have also been important changes in the field of technical advance in the last twenty years. One of capitalism's main virtues is the strong incentive it gives to dynamism, enterprise and the innovation process. Every revolutionary new product (for civilian use) has been brought about by the capitalist system. The socialist system was capable at most of developing new military products. The article analyzes how far the radical difference can be explained by the innate tendencies and basic attributes of the two systems. Our daily lives have been transformed by these new products (for instance, the sphere of information and communications by the computer, the mobile phone and the internet). While many people see all these as favourable changes, fewer discern the causal relation between the capitalist system and rapid technical progress. Yet the usual syllabus of microeconomics does not enlighten students on this important virtue of capitalism, neither it is not adequately emphasized in the statements of leading politicians.     

Global Technology Policies for Economic Growth

With the end of the Cold War, nations throughout the world are placing ever greater emphasis on economic growth. Over the last 50 years, advances in technology have been the single most important factor in creating growth in many economies, and thus policies to promote technological innovation rank high on the list of priorities for both developed and developing countries. In general, as countries progress up the economic ladder, national R&D intensity, (i.e., R&D/GDP), tends to increase along with per capita income. In addition, nations move through a discernible sequence of technology policies from an initial focus on infrastructure, through a set of actions designed to encourage technology acquisition from more advanced economies, to comprehensive education and research agendas targeted to the creation and development of new technology. In the United States, national technology policy for economic growth focuses on education, building a 21st century infrastructure, and creating a business climate that encourages growth, technological innovation, and risk taking.Throughout the last 50 years there have been significant changes in the competitive position of nations. In recent years, U.S. corporations have regained some of the competitive leadership they lost in the 1980s. This has been accompanied by significantly increased R&D spending by U.S. industry, particularly in the information and health care related sectors. U.S. industry funding of R&D overtook that from the government in the early 1980s and accounts for almost two-thirds of the national total.     

Presidential Address: Innovation in retrospect and prospect

Abstract This paper asks whether innovation has slowed in recent decades. While there has been dramatic progress in information and communications technology, the recent record of innovation in the crucially important agriculture, energy, transportation, and health care sectors is cause for concern. The paper also considers whether the pace of innovation is sufficient to improve or even maintain living standards in the face of still rapidly growing population, global warming, and other challenges. I review the major market failures that lead to under‐provision of innovation and question whether current innovation policy, particularly patent policy, is effective in promoting innovation.     

基于管理协同的产业技术创新战略联盟稳定性研究

近年产业技术创新战略联盟发展迅速,但普遍存在稳定性不高、效率低下等诸多问题。因此,提高联盟稳定性、改进联盟绩效是当前亟需解决的问题。基于管理协同理论,从资源协同、目标协同、知识协同、关系协同、创新协同视角,以成员信任度为调节变量,对产业技术创新战略联盟稳定性进行分析。研究结果发现,联盟成员资源协同、目标协同、知识协同对联盟稳定性存在正向影响,关系协同、创新协同对联盟稳定性存在负向影响。基于此,提出促进联盟稳定性的对策建议。     

Removing the blinders: A literature review on the potential of nanoscale technologies for the management of supply chains

Supply chain management requires more intelligent technology in the future; however, the current sensor technology is causing a bottleneck in the development of an intelligent supply chain. The emergence and development of nanosensors provide a good opportunity to improve the complex technical issues that supply chains need and may bring revolutionary changes to supply chains in the future. This paper reviews the current and potential application of nanosensors to every aspect of supply chains, including the SCM system, packaging, storage and distribution, supply chain safety, tracking and tracing. The particular focus will be on removing the blinders to the true potential technologies on the nanoscale for the future, not just for the management of supply chains but for firms seeking to become more competitive. This review will shed light on the profound impact nanotechnologies could have in augmenting or replacing the existing radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags or bar-code technologies.     

塞尔维亚科技创新与技术转移激励政策评析

塞尔维亚是中东欧近几年来科技创新发展速度较快、技术转移成果较多的国家之一,其科技创新和技术转移相关的激励政策也随着科技水平的发展而不断完善和健全。塞尔维亚科技创新和技术转移激励政策在经费筹措和资助、科研成果商业化等诸多方面可圈可点,但仍存在民众信任度不高、资金分配制度不完善、对国际化创新合作的重视不足等问题。本文从科技创新和技术转移两个方面介绍了塞尔维亚科技创新和技术转移激励政策的现状、进展,并分析了其相关优势和亮点,同时也指出激励政策存在的一些漏洞,并作为对照,提出了对完善我国科技创新和技术转移激励政策的建议。     

国防科技融资方式对创新效率的影响——基于军工上市企业面板数据的研究

本文运用SFA对军工上市企业2009—2016年的创新效率进行实证测量，探讨了国防科技融资方式对其创新效率的影响。结果发现：我国国防科技创新效率逐年提升，但上升幅度较小，研发费用与科技人员数量对创新效率有显著的正向影响，且不同行业之间创新效率存在较大差异；内源融资、债券融资以及政府补助对国防科技创新效率有显著促进作用，股权融资则有一定的抑制作用，银行贷款的影响并不显著；多元化的融资方式能够提升发明专利和实用新型专利为产出变量的创新效率，而融资渠道的扩展会抑制外观设计为产出变量的创新效率；通过交互作用检验，发现盈利能力和行业垄断程度会对融资方式与国防科技创新效率的关系产生影响。     

Technology and worker coopratives: some UK evidence and a framework for investigation

This paper considers the relationship between cooperatives i n the 'new wave' and the technology they use. Data and examples from the UK are presented to show that there is no general support either for the 'optimistic' hypothesis that cooperatives are necessarily able to make humanizing choices about technology or for the 'pessimistic' hypothesis that they are completely constrained by technology. A framework is developed for analysing the factors which may or may not allow technological choices. The paper goes on to form a new hypothesis in two parts: firstly, that small firms i n general have more freedom to make choices about technology the more they have independence from large firms and the market, and the more they are i n areas of product innovation, particularly IT-based innovation; secondly, given a degree of freedom to make such choices, the choice is more likely to be made successfully in the direction of humanizing uses of technology the more there is potential for identif;cation between job, product and social or political aims. The paper concludes by describing a research project now under way exploring the relative importance of these factors in established UK worker cooperatives.     

技术市场对重大科技创新影响的实证分析——技术输出与技术吸纳视角

利用2006-2018年全国省级面板数据，从技术吸纳和技术输出视角研究技术市场对重大科技创新的影响。结果发现，技术输出和技术吸纳对重大科技创新的影响呈现异质状态，即技术输出能够显著促进重大科技创新水平提升，而技术吸纳对重大科技创新的影响不显著。考虑到技术输出与重大科技创新可能存在内生性问题，选取劳动争议处理量作为工具变量进行回归，研究表明该结果具有稳健性。此外，研发人员与经费投入、高等教育水平等因素在促进重大科技创新水平提升过程中具有一定局限性。基于此，提出强化技术市场对重大科技创新影响效应的对策建议。     

A theory of innovation for process-based innovations such as nanotechnology

Many see Nanotechnology as the technology that will underlie the next Schumpeterian wave creating new opportunities for wealth and job creation. Further it is a process based or materials technology. Yet all currently used models of innovation are based on assembled products or service products and these simply do not recognize the differences in materials products nor the “enabling” nature of Nanotechnologies. If nanotechnology is poised to become the economic engine of this millennium and if current models of innovation, which are utilized, by policy makers and firm based strategist alike are based on technology product paradigms that are dissimilar to the realities of nanotechnology and other process-based technologies then there is cause for concern.Here the authors provide a model and supporting cases demonstrating a new process or materials based innovation model that is based on the tight coupling between product and process innovation of not only Nanotechnology-based products but other process-based products. This is an important finding, because it identifies and remedies a gap in the literature associated with earlier process and product innovation models. For process-based products like materials, food, chemicals and nanotechnologies any change to the manufacturing processes results in significant changes in end product features. The implications of this model to practice are considered.     

技术复杂性会抑制双元学习对创新绩效的影响吗

当今时代,组织学习越来越成为企业创新的一条重要途径,然而学习中会面临一定的技术复杂性,技术复杂性在组织学习对创新绩效的影响作用中究竟具有促进作用还是抑制作用值得探究。研究发现,组织学习（开发式学习和探索式学习）对企业创新绩效和协同创新绩效均具有显著正向影响;技术复杂性在开发式学习和探索式学习对企业创新绩效的影响中均起负向调节作用但不显著;在开发式学习对协同创新绩效的影响中起正向调节作用但不显著;在探索式学习对协同创新绩效的影响中具有显著的正向调节作用。这些说明技术复杂性可能会抑制组织学习对企业创新绩效的作用,但会促进组织学习对协同创新绩效的影响。最后,提出了研究启示和未来研究方向。     

Evaluating innovation networks in emerging technologies

Interorganisational innovation networks are increasingly important for innovation in emerging technology fields. The performance of such networks can have a large impact on the future development of emerging technologies. A useful framework for the evaluation of innovation networks however does not yet exist. In this paper, such a framework is developed, using elements of the social network analysis literature and the resource-based view. This framework is subsequently applied to compare two policy-driven innovation networks: 1) the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine; and 2) the BioMedical Materials program. Based on this first empirical exploration of the framework implications for management and further policy development are formulated.     

科技保险支持企业自主创新问题与对策研究——以河北省为例

加快推进企业自主创新,建设自主创新型国家是我国面向未来的重大战略选择。这一目标的实现不能仅靠科技企业的努力,还需要集合社会各界的力量以及各种科技创新扶持手段的共同作用。本文将科技保险与其它科技创新支持手段从经营主体、资金来源及对股权的影响、支持渠道和支持时段等几个方面进行了比较分析,以明确科技保险在科技创新支持体系中的独特作用,即科技保险能有效化解、转移企业自主创新活动中面临的科技风险,对促进我国科技进步和经济发展有着重要意义。而通过对我国科技保险试点中出现的主要问题以及产生根源进行深入剖析,最终提出解决科技保险存在的问题,支持企业自主创新的对策建议,以期对我国科技保险理论与实践有所裨益。     

The innovation impact of the EU Emission Trading System — Findings of company case studies in the German power sector

This paper provides a detailed analysis of how the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS) as the core climate policy instrument of the European Union has impacted innovation. Towards this end, we investigate the impact of the EU ETS on research, development and demonstration (RD&D), adoption, and organizational change. In doing so, we pay particular attention to the relative influences of context factors (policy mix, market factors and public acceptance) and firm characteristics (value chain position, technology portfolio, size and vision). Empirically, our qualitative analysis is based on multiple case studies with 19 power generators, technology providers and project developers in the German power sector which were conducted in 2008/09. We find that the innovation impact of the EU ETS has remained limited so far because of the scheme's initial lack of stringency and predictability and the relatively greater importance of context factors. Additionally, the impact varies significantly across technologies, firms, and innovation dimensions and is most pronounced for RD&D on carbon capture technologies and organizational changes. Our analysis suggests that the EU ETS on its own may not provide sufficient incentives for fundamental changes in corporate innovation activities at a level which ensures political long-term targets can be achieved.